Don Breneman (Headshot credit: Juniper Communities)
Since the construction of Juniper Communities’ (Bloomfield, N.J.) first senior living community to LEED specifications in 2001, the owner and operator has been dedicated to sustainability. Today, operating 27 communities across Colorado, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Texas, the organization is expanding its efforts with the adoption of a new program, Green Canopy Initiative, a “blueprint for how senior living can thrive while minimizing its environmental impact,” says Don Breneman, COO of Juniper Communities.
The need for the initiative was heightened during the pandemic due to the overwhelming volume of single-use waste being produced nearly hourly for months on end for testing and personal protective equipment.
Implemented across the senior living organization’s portfolio, the program outlines a variety of goals including implementing energy-efficient and water-conserving equipment and operations.
Additionally, the senior living operator aims to create the first zero-waste senior living communities by 2025.
In this Q+A with Environments for Aging, Breneman discusses key strategies of the program and how it can be tailored to fit the different needs of each community.
Environments for Aging: What is the Green Canopy Initiative and how does it support Juniper’s desire to create high standards for environmental sustainability?
Don Breneman: The Green Canopy Initiative is Juniper’s comprehensive environmental sustainability program designed to create healthier living environments while protecting natural resources for future generations.
Key strategies include energy conservation measures that incorporate Energy Star appliances and water conservation efforts including installing low-flow shower heads and automatic dispensing units to prevent waste.
The initiative also prioritizes health and air quality through the use of low-volatile organic compound (VOC) paints and carpets, eco-friendly cleaning products, and non-aerosol/chemical electromagnetic and ultraviolet-C (UVC) radiation technology to eliminate illness-causing microorganisms.
Waste reduction and recycling programs aim to reduce single-use plastics in medication administration and source products with greater than 50 percent recycled content when possible. Often overlooked, the commitment to sustainable consumables including flexible compostable straws and low-VOC products has been a strong focus for Juniper.
The rapid digital transformation in the senior living industry has led to significantly increased electricity consumption, driven by the proliferation of smart devices, monitoring systems, and resident technology adoption. Juniper added infrastructure to support these initiatives which unfortunately also can have a negative environmental impact. One of Juniper’s goals was to partner with a cloud service provider committed to renewable energy with a data center that implements adaptive power management systems to reduce server and storage energy use during off-peak hours. We work with our tech partner to maximize infrastructure reuse through comprehensive device lifecycle management, partnering with manufacturers and certified e-waste recyclers for trade-ins and recycling.
EFA: Is it implemented at all of Juniper’s communities?
Breneman: The Green Canopy program is mandatory across all communities but can be adapted based on residents’ needs and capabilities. For example, in memory care settings, key modifications include enhanced staff assistance for proper waste sorting and recycling activities, clear visual aids at recycling stations featuring photos of common items including plastic containers and bottles, and simplified sorting systems with color coding and large, easy-to-read labels.
EFA: How does the program aim to tackle food waste?
Breneman: One of the most impactful and cross-department initiatives has been the reduction in food waste. Juniper is tackling a major behavioral contributor to food waste, what we describe as “menu remorse”—when residents decline meals after ordering, creating food waste and service inefficiencies. The solution was to implement visual meal previews in addition to the display meals and pre-ordering capabilities through the Juniper resident portal app. This helps residents make more confident about their choices while enabling the dining experience team to better plan portions and reduce waste.
In-room dining has become increasingly popular among our residents, necessitating efficient meal packaging and delivery systems. While our standard practice emphasizes environmentally sustainable cardboard and paper containers, residents maintain the option to request plastic containers. Juniper strives to inform residents about our environmental initiatives and explain the benefits of eco-friendly packaging over single-use plastics.
To minimize food waste reaching landfills, some of our communities have composting projects for activities and a garden club to process kitchen scraps and unused food items into nutrient-rich soil.
Our beverage service has been completely redesigned for sustainability. All concierge coffee stations now exclusively offer reusable ceramic mugs. To further reduce disposable cup usage, Juniper has installed filtered water refill stations throughout our facilities and introduced a resident mug club program at our coffee bistros, incentivizing the use of personal drinkware.
Recognizing that recycling facilities vary by region, Juniper also works closely with waste vendors to maximize available resources and explore enhanced recycling opportunities, ensuring each community can optimize its sustainability efforts within local constraints while maintaining the program’s core mission of environmental stewardship.
EFA: How does the initiative support operations while also addressing residents’ needs?
Breneman: While we’ve made significant progress in reducing single-use plastics, transitioning away from plastic straws has presented unique challenges. Some residents experience difficulties or discomfort using standard paper straws due to mobility issues or other sensitivities. To address this, we’re currently testing paper straws with flexible tops, which offer improved usability and have received better feedback from residents who previously struggled with conventional paper alternatives.
EFA: How are residents and staff encouraged to participate in sustainable practices through the program?
Breneman: The success of Juniper’s environmental is driven by the direct actions and behaviors of team members and residents. Team members lead sustainability education programs and demonstrations, fostering resident engagement and community-wide environmental stewardship.
The initiative has forged partnerships with local parks departments and conservation groups, while providing robust and inclusive educational programs for residents on regional ecosystem preservation. Additionally, monthly community town halls feature waste reduction metrics and staff feedback, complemented by comprehensive recycling programs for both employees and residents.
These combined efforts have strengthened the initiative’s environmental impact while building a more sustainable community.
For more on Juniper Communities, go here.
