Creating a healthier planet: Why renewable energy and health are interconnected

This year’s Earth Day theme is “Our Power, Our Planet”, which emphasizes the significance of renewable energy sources and the role we all play in making choices that safeguard our planet and everyone living on it.

Globally, more than 12 million people lose their lives each year due to avoidable environmental causes, underscoring the increasingly clear link between environmental and human health. The health of our environment is tied to the well-being of the people we serve, influencing a broad range of factors from the quality of the air we breathe to the safety of the water we drink. This connection strengthens our commitment to invest in initiatives that enhance environmental health and foster sustainable communities, all of which align with our Healthy 2030 Impact strategy.

Renewable energy sources like solar and wind power are positively associated with better health outcomes and lower health care costs. They contribute to cleaner air and water, significantly reducing pollution and the occurrence of chronic conditions. Our work to manage the energy that powers our facilities is a key lever in our efforts to reduce enterprise Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and transition towards a low-carbon economy. We are making great progress toward our goal to increase the share of renewable energy to 50% of our total energy consumption by 2040. Since 2022, we have completed seven investments in renewable energy projects. By 2026, these investments will power approximately 3,000 CVS Health® locations, with more to come as projects continue to come online.

Discover more about the highlights of our Healthy Planet progress and our Environmental Health Initiative in our latest Healthy 2030 Impact Report