Parkland named in the inaugural ‘Texan by Nature 20’
Parkland Health & Hospital System one of 20 companies across the State of Texas recognized for conservation & sustainability in the TxN 20
DALLAS — Texan by Nature (TxN), a Texas-led conservation non-profit founded by former First Lady Laura Bush, announced that Parkland Health & Hospital System has been named as an honoree of the first-ever Texan by Nature 20 (TxN 20) — an official ranking of 20 companies with Texas operations that have made a demonstrative commitment to conservation.
With the launch of the TxN 20, Texan by Nature aims to recognize the best and most innovative work in conservation coming from Texas-based business and operations. As part of the TxN 20, Texan by Nature has honored 20 companies across 10 industries in the Lone Star State whose ingenuity are forging new, beneficial paths in conservation.
“At Texan by Nature, our firm belief is that our long term prosperity and health is dependent upon our natural resources. In launching the TxN 20, we aim to spotlight innovation in conservation and inspire more substantial efforts to create a new model of conservation for Texans and our shared future,” said Joni Carswell, CEO & President of Texan by Nature. “It is an honor to showcase and celebrate the Texas-led innovation, commitment and elevated practices spanning industries and our unique state.”
Parkland’s main campus includes an acute care hospital licensed for 882 beds, outpatient specialty centers, a logistics building, parking garage with solar panels, and a central utility plant, all recipients of LEED® Gold recognition and geared to serve the healthcare needs of residents of Dallas County. In addition, two of Parkland’s outpatient health centers feature special gardens for patients and staff to enjoy — a community garden with vegetables, herbs and pollinator plants at the Southeast Dallas Health Center and a pollinator garden at the deHaro-Saldivar Health Center.
“The focus of Parkland’s sustainability program started out as an effort to increase recycling rates,” says Michael Wood, Parkland’s Director of Facilities Support Services. “It has now evolved to include initiatives centered on energy conservation, green building standards and land conservation, among others. One of our main themes during the renovation was to ‘put the park back in Parkland.’ We hope to continue to be on the forefront of sustainability and conservation practices.”
Parkland’s community garden located at one of its outpatient health centers in southeast Dallas County was established with the assistance of a grant provided by USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service. The fresh produce from the garden is distributed to eligible patients and their households on a weekly basis. The community garden also promotes land conservation through organic gardening practices, while colorful pollinator plants add beauty and sustainability, providing a valuable resource for patients, their families and the community.
As beautiful as it is big, Texas is home to some of the largest cities in the United States and the world’s 10th largest economy. A leader in multiple industries with 11 ecoregions, 8 mountain ranges, and over 150 conservation organizations, Texas is a diverse state with the opportunity to model the importance of bringing conservation and business together for the benefit of our people, prosperity, and natural resources.
A catalyst for thought leadership, innovative partnerships and community-led solutions, Texan by Nature has been working with the Texas business community to implement Texas-led conservation practices, partnerships, and resources. Hosting a leadership roundtable series throughout the Lone Star State in 2018, business leaders in each major Texas city and across a spectrum of industries were brought together to engage in timely discussions around current conservation challenges and opportunities, including lack of education, awareness, collaboration, best practices and industry standards. In these sessions, business leaders voiced a desire to know more about the work being done across Texas, to learn the best practices for their industries, and to receive recognition for their efforts.
The final Texan by Nature 20 honorees were selected based upon a stated dedication to conservation, demonstrated commitment to conservation via investment and volunteerism, measurement and reporting of spending and impact on conservation efforts, and employee engagement. Honorees were identified through submissions as well as researched via publicly available information on conservation and sustainability efforts. An esteemed, cross-industry selection committee made the final selection of 20 honorees for the Texan by Nature 20 (see https://txn20.org/txn20-honorees/).
2019 TxN 20 HONOREES INCLUDE:
- Parkland Health & Hospital System
- American Campus Communities
- Apache
- Austin Convention Center
- Cactus Feeders
- CEMEX
- Cirrus Logic
- Comerica
- Darling Ingredients
- Dell
- DFW International Airport
- Farmer Brothers
- Harvest Seasonal Kitchen
- H-E-B
- King Land & Water
- NRG Energy
- Phillips 66
- Southwest Airlines
- Texas Health Resources
- Union Pacific
Activating new investments, amplifying and accelerating innovations, and connecting partners to the resources they need to succeed, Texan by Nature offers select programs to help engage Texans in stewardship of the state’s rich land and diverse communities including the Conservation Wrangler Program, TxN Certification, the Conservation Wrangler Summit and the TxN 20. For more information on TxN partnerships and programs, or to learn how to get involved, please visit www.texanbynature.org.
ABOUT TxN
Texan by Nature (TxN) unites business and conservation leaders who believe Texas’ prosperity is dependent on the conservation of its natural resources. TxN amplifies projects and activates new investment in conservation which returns real benefits for people, prosperity, and natural resources. Texan by Nature achieves mission goals through the Texan by Nature Certification program, Conservation Wrangler program, Symposia Series, and the Texan by Nature 20. Get involved and learn more at www.texanbynature.org and follow on Facebook @TexanbyNature, Twitter @TexanbyNature, and Instagram @texanbynature
About Parkland Health & Hospital System
Parkland Health & Hospital System is one of the largest public hospital systems in the country. Premier services include the Level I Rees-Jones Trauma Center, the only burn center in North Texas verified by the American Burn Association and a Level III Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. The system also includes more than 30 community-based clinics and numerous outreach and education programs. By cultivating its diversity, inclusion and health equity efforts, Parkland enriches the health and wellness of the communities it serves. For more information, visit www.parklandhospital.com
