A Canadian Coalition for Green Health Care Initiative
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September 2, 2021
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COALITION SPOTLIGHT
We are hiring a Bilingual Environmental Health Care Coordinator

The Coalition is looking to hire a bilingual (ENG/FRE) Environmental Health Care Coordinator to join our PPE-mSUP project team. The successful candidate will work closely with the project lead to plan and implement outreach to French Canadian stakeholders. Please click link below to view complete job posting and application procedure.
2020 Green Hospital Scorecard (GHS) submissions due in four weeks

The 2020 GHS data call was made on July 28, 2021. This is a gentle reminder that submissions for the GHS surveys are due on Friday, October 1, 2021.

Missed our recent webinar for participants? Then click HERE to review the process details.

Feel free to reach out to Krishna Akella at krishna@greenhealthcare.ca if you have any questions.
A warm welcome to our latest Sustainability Champions!
The latest Sustainability Champions have made a serious corporate commitment to making health care more sustainable.
 
To see if your organisation qualifies to be a Coalition Sustainability champion, Contact neil.ritchie@greenhealthcare.ca

Learn more about the benefits of being a Sustainability Champion.
CLIMATE CHANGE
Report: Pharmaceutical residues in hospital wastewater
Health Care Without Harm

Pharmaceutical residues in hospital wastewater explores how hospital wastewater contributes to the pharmaceutical load released into the environment. The report features five case studies illustrating how European hospitals, from Belgium, Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom, are dealing with pharmaceutical residues in their wastewater. It also looks at resistant bacteria because of their potential link with antibiotic residues in hospital effluents.
Leadership for a climate resilient, net-zero health system: Transforming supply chains to the circular economy


This captivating article by Coalition Executive Director Neil Ritchie sheds light on how leadership can transform supply chains to the circular economy to ultimately achieve net-zero carbon emissions.
FACILITIES
Lakeridge Health wins two awards for energy management
Ecosystem Energy

Lakeridge Health’s deep energy retrofit project with Ecosystem Energy Services has been honoured with two awards. The Ontario-based project was recognized for Institutional Energy Management in the Eastern Canada region by the Association of Energy Engineers (AEE). It also won first place for Existing Healthcare Facilities under ASHRAE Toronto. Lakeridge Health (LH) is a multi-site hospital located in the Greater Toronto Area that provides care to hundreds of thousands of patients in a large geographic region.
LTC operational shortfalls bared in heatwave
REMI Network

Heatwave conditions and operational shortfalls are posing challenges in some Ontario long-term care (LTC) homes that do not have central air conditioning. As reported to the REMI Network on Aug. 23, staff in at least one such facility are dumping the collected condensation from portable air conditioners down sinks or toilets in residents’ rooms — a practice deemed to present a low risk for the spread of Legionella bacteria, but, nevertheless, far from the preferred maintenance standard.
Green Health Care Report 2020-21

Be sure to check out our Green Health Care Report 2020-21! It is our first-ever comprehensive annual report and provides valuable insights into the state of green health care in Canada.
PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT
Transparent medical grade mask challenge
Government of Canada

The National Research Council of Canada (NRC), in collaboration with Health Canada (HC) and Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC), is seeking solutions to develop and manufacture disposable transparent medical masks to be used by deaf and hard of hearing health care workers and patients to protect from the transfer of body fluids, microorganisms and particulate material. The transparent masks shall facilitate full facial recognition and lip/speech reading alongside other communication methods.

Challenge close date: September 7, 2021
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Ontario Invests in PPE Testing Services in Toronto
Government of Ontario

Ontario Together Fund continues to support homegrown innovation and manufacturing to ensure a safe and effective supply of PPE for Ontario. Kinectrics Inc. is investing over $841,000 to expand and implement industry-standard testing techniques for PPE, with support of more than $252,000 provided through the Ontario Together Fund. The investment will help the company scale up testing resources for surgical masks and N95 respirators and introduce new PPE testing services for surgical gowns and medical drapes.
ELECTRIC VEHICLES
New study shows Canadians can travel 5x further in an EV than a gas car for the same fuel cost
Electric Autonomy

For Canadian EV drivers, $87.12 can go a long way. In fact, it could go more than four times the distance covered by gas-based vehicles. This statistic was released as part of a new study, EV vs. Petrol Range, from Uswitch, a U.K.-based price comparison service that focuses on energy, personal finance, insurance and communications. The study says, in Canada, a Nissan Leaf Plus (known as the Leaf e+ in Europe) could travel up to 5,511 kilometres on $87.12 (£50) worth of “fuel,” compared to 1,050 kilometres for a gasoline-powered Volkswagen Golf — a difference of 4,462 kilometres. This can be a game-changer for hospital emergency fleet costs!

A BIG thank you to SaveOnEnergy for their continued financial support for the Ontario Green Health Care Award and the Ontario Energy Behaviour Award.
EVENTS, TRAINING AND WEBINARS
Planetary Health Action - Project Green Healthcare

The Canadian Federation of Medical Students (CFMS) Health and Environment Adaptive Response Taskforce (HEART) is excited to announce the Planetary Health Action conference on September 12th, 2021. At this event, you will learn about the projects being taken on by Canadian medical students in greening Canadian health care and promoting planetary health education at Canadian medical schools. Join in for an afternoon of learning and inspiration; CFMS and HEART look forward to sharing their successes with you.
Register for the World Circular Economy Forum (WCEF) 2021

Hosted virtually from Canada from September 13-15, WCEF2021 will offer three days packed with information, ideas and examples of the circular economy. 

  • Game Changer Sessions will explore crosscutting themes to answer a common question: “What transformational steps can we take in the next five years to catalyze the systemic changes required to scale up a global circular economy that is prosperous, inclusive and equitable?” 
  • Demonstration Sessions will bring the themes of the Game Changer Sessions to life through concrete, inspiring examples of the circular economy “in action”. 
  • Accelerator Sessions will be hosted by partner organisations on September 15. These outcome-oriented events will bridge WCEF2021 with the daily work needed for a circular transition. 

Date: September 13-15, 2021
Admission is free of charge.
A discussion on Artificial Intelligence in Health
AI with Roche – presented by EFFERVESCENCE

Canada adopted a national artificial intelligence (AI) strategy in 2017 and is now considered one of the most advanced countries in this field, as it continues to invest in and attract researchers, students, and experts to build a stronger community. Considering the importance of AI innovation in health care in Canada and the impact that AI discovery and application can have on patients and the health care system, Roche Canada created a center of excellence in artificial intelligence called AI with Roche (AIR), in collaboration with the three national AI institutes under the CIFAR Pan-Canadian AI Strategy - Amii, Mila and the Vector Institute.

Join in for a virtual discussion about the potential of artificial intelligence in health, public‑private partnerships and collaboration, and possibilities to improve health outcomes for populations and patients across Canada by leveraging AI.

Date: Wednesday, September 15, 2021
Time: 1:00 - 3:30 PM EDT 
CHES 2021 Virtual Conference

The Canadian Healthcare Engineering Society (CHES) will be holding its 41st Annual Conference on a virtual platform on September 28-29, 2021. The theme of the 2021 Virtual Conference is “Enriching Patient Experience by Optimizing the Environment”.

For more detailed information or to register visit the CHES website. Find the program details HERE.
Circular Procurement Summit

To engage the intersection of public and private sector interests to achieve and accelerate circularity, Circular Innovation Council presents Circular Procurement Summit 2021, an exclusive online learning and application experience and official World Circular Economy Forum Side Event.

From 18 - 22 October 2021 daily sessions from 10 a.m. - 1 p.m. EDT (GMT-4) will explore cross-cutting themes that can be achieved simultaneously through circular procurement:
 
  • Meeting carbon emission reduction objectives with a focus on net-zero embedded carbon and scope 3 emissions; 
  • Accelerating circularity in Canada through regional and local implementation with the public sector as a central focus;
  • Resource conservation, protection, biodiversity, and circularity;
  • Green economic recovery and resiliency in a post-covid setting;
  • Social inclusion and equity; and
  • Zero waste.
CHES - 2021 Webinar series
12pm - 1pm EST

Wednesday September 22, 2021 - Resilient Building Design for Hospitals in the Face of Climate Change
Speaker:  Gord Rajewski, R.E.T.

Wednesday November 17, 2021 - Roof Maintenance
Speaker: Ted Katsoris, B.Tech, BSS, CCCA
SCISS – Webinaires 2021
12pm - 1pm EST

Mercredi 22 septembre 2021 - Conception d’établissements hospitaliers résilients face au changement climatique
Orateur:  Gord Rajewski, R.E.T.

Mercredi 17 novembre 2021 - Entretien des toits
Orateur: Ted Katsoris, B.Tech, BSS, CCCA

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The Canadian Coalition for Green Health Care is Canada’s premier green health care resource network, leading the evolution of green in Canada’s health sector as a national voice and catalyst for environmental change. www.greenhealthcare.ca 
Some articles referred to in the Digest make reference to services and/or product offerings from specific suppliers. The CCGHC recommends that readers research the service and product offerings available through a wider range of suppliers for comparison purposes and in keeping with public sector purchasing guidelines. These articles should not be interpreted as an endorsement of any product or service.