Green Corner: Join the Green Health Day Challenge

In this edition: This month, it’s all about our Green Health Day challenge. Get inspired by our selfies… then it’s your turn to get snap happy!

Challenge Accepted banner: Introduces environmental challenges for readers.

The Guelph Family Health Team held their first Green Health Day last year to recognize climate change as a health issue (see their resources here). This year, they’re inviting us all to join them.

Members of the Guelph Family Health Team wearing Green Shirts which state "Climate Change is a Health Issue"

How to participate (you could win!):

On (or before) May 4, do something environmentally-friendly in/on your way to your healthcare workplace and send us a quick selfie of you doing it! Check out the list and photos below for ideas… or come up with your own challenge: as long as it is in the healthcare setting and helps with environmental sustainability, it counts! Email [email protected], hit reply to this email, or use the button below to send us your photo with your name, role, and city where you work.

Submit Your Green Health Day Photo!

We’ll share the photos in our May newsletter to celebrate and keep us all inspired. After all, large numbers of small actions make a big difference. By submitting a photo, you'll also have the chance to win a gift card to a green business near you. Together, we can do this!

Green Health Day Challenge Ideas:

Make your office a single-use water bottle free zone with a poster (order one for free)
Buy recycled printer paper
Recommend the plant-rich eating group to a patient
Use a shared decision-making tool for cardiovascular or bone health with a patient
Bring a plant-rich lunch to work
Discuss smoking cessation or cancer screening with a patient
Watch a 5-minute video on the Green Initiative
Safely deprescribe one metered-dose inhaler
Schedule a virtual appointment (when clinically indicated) with a patient
Roll up the exam bed paper

To “click” things off, we asked the Hamilton FHT’s Wellness Committee to send us their selfies. Thanks to Vanessa Foreman, Ryan Janssen, and Lisa Mark for helping us see the big picture!