More than 30 leading health-industry trade groups, consumer advocates and health care employees met in Chicago to advance the greening of health care in America, according to reports from the Chicago Tribune. The meeting was organized by the American Hospital Association to help promote educational initiatives and share business practices for hospitals and the companies they work with to reduce waste, conserve energy and pursue other green initiatives.

According to Hospitals for a Healthy Environment (H2E), hospitals generate more than 6,500 tons of waste a day on average with solid waste making up more than 70 percent of that total.

The meeting was organized to promote discussion regarding best practices, identify innovative ways to reduce waste and to "make the hospital a better environmental partner."

Click here to read about initiatives in place at various hospitals throughout the country, as well as future opportunities to "go green."