It seems that much of the waste in our system today comes from lack of knowledge as well as lack of consideration of the cost of supplies.  Nurses and doctors often often try to prepare for situations without thinking of the cost of the supplies they have opened, knowing that they may not use them all.  I believe that if we were all aware of the prices of supplies, fewer people would waste them.  Labeling everything in the supply closets with it's price would cost the hospital very little, and the reduction in waste could be huge.