Green Business Profile: MedShare

This Earth Day, we highlight one of San Leandro’s impactful green businesses. The City is currently working on a Climate Action Plan, a draft version of which is slated to be released to the public in May with expectations to go before the City Council in early Summer, 2021. For updates on the Climate Action Plan, click HERE. To learn more about Earth Day events and how you can get involved, click HERE.

For over 13 years, MedShare has been operating its Western Region Headquarters and supplies warehouse in its Alvarado Street location in San Leandro. MedShare is a 501c(3) humanitarian aid organization dedicated to improving the quality of life of people and our planet by sourcing and directly delivering surplus medical supplies and equipment to communities in need around the world. MedShare firmly believes that environmental health and human health go hand in hand.

Sustainability is embedded in MedShare’s mission. By sourcing surplus medical supplies and equipment from hospitals and manufacturers, they are able to divert more than 2.4 million pounds of high quality supplies and equipment from landfills each year.  MedShare has further enhanced its sustainability efforts through onsite water use reduction, installation of motion-sensored lighting and an environmental-friendly purchasing policy.

Switching cleaning products has been the most difficult challenge. It has taken a bit of time to learn which products were even better than the ones they were using to help protect the health of the people using them as well as being safe for the environment. Luckily, there are many certified Green Businesses that offer great products.

In the U.S., a lot of high quality, unopened medical supplies and gently used equipment ends up in landfills every year.  At the same time, there are hospitals and clinics in the U.S. and around the world who need those supplies and equipment to provide basic, quality healthcare to their patients. Sustainability is driving greater impact with the resources that are available. MedShare helps increase health system capacity and drives sustainability by providing biomedical equipment and high-quality medical supplies to healthcare organizations and medical professionals serving populations in need.

Normally, MedShare sends 90% of its supplies internationally, but during the pandemic they have pivoted to aid medical providers in the U.S., including a broad network of community safety net clinics serving vulnerable populations. In 2020, MedShare donated to over 240 medical institutions in the U.S., provided over 5.6 million pieces of Personal Protective Equipment worldwide, and touched over 4 million lives.

MedShare is a certified Green Business. Businesses can become a certified Green Business through the Alameda County Green Business Program after completing a certain set of criteria.