August 4th, 2022

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Administrative Assistant Position Available

CAPE Program Coordinator - Advocacy and Mobilization Training Program

Interested in working at the intersection of environment and health? Want to train health care professionals to be climate & environment leaders?

CAPE is hiring a Program Coordinator for their Advocacy & Mobilization Program, a cohort-based capacity-building program for physicians, nurses, and other health professionals. AMP aims to empower and enable health care professionals to act as environmental and climate leaders by: 1. Training health care professionals (HCPs) on advocacy and organizing skills, 2. Educating HCPs on the health impacts of environmental issues, and 3. Providing HCPs with opportunities to mobilize on existing campaigns or initiate their own.

To Apply: Please submit a cover letter and resume in English or French to hr@cape.ca before Sunday, August 7, 2022.

PEI electric vehicle charging funding program (PEI EVCF Program)

The PEI government is encouraging business and community organisations across the province to install electric vehicle charging stations targeted for business and public use.

The PEI Electric Vehicle Charging Fund will support up to 75% of eligible costs for business, academic and community organisations in PEI to install commercial EV chargers in public parking areas, workplaces, light-duty vehicle fleet parking, and designated multi-unit residential buildings (MURBs). More detail is offered under definitions below.

Applications will be received until July 2023 or earlier if the EVCF Program is oversubscribed. Once the application is approved, the EV charger must be installed within six months. 

Government of Canada consultation papers to advance the plastics circular economy

Have your say by October 7, 2022

Today, the Government of Canada released two consultation papers to advance the plastics circular economy. The publication of both papers is followed by a public comment period ending October 7, 2022. Consultations through virtual engagement sessions will be held early fall. Circular Innovation Council encourages its members and stakeholders to get involved and have their say on both consultation papers.

Call for Papers

There is a new Call for Papers for a Special issue active on Leadership in Health Services. 

This Special Issue, "Health Service Leaders and Climate Change - An imperative for Change Leadership" seeks submissions consistent with the aims of Leadership in Health Service as stated on their website, with a particular emphasis on the impact of climate change on health services leadership. 

Opening date for manuscripts submissions: 18/05/2022

Closing date for manuscripts submission: 31/10/2022

The cruel irony of inhalers that make climate change worse

The New York Times

Drought and extreme heat, both exacerbated by climate change, have paved the way for prime fire conditions across the western United States. As wildfire season ramps up and smoke re-emerges as a serious health threat, experts are encouraging people to get smoke ready. This includes refilling medical devices like inhalers.

But what if the very devices used to treat the health effects of climate change are themselves contributing to the crisis?

Such is the case with metered-dose inhalers, which are prescribed to treat two of the most common respiratory diseases: asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

The boiling point: The health effects of climate change 

Rabble

Between Japan experiencing its worst heatwave in 150 years, the United Kingdom surpassing 40 degrees Celcius for the first time ever, and the United States reporting nine individual billion-dollar weather and climate events in the first six months of 2022, one thing is clear: not only is this not normal, but we won’t survive it becoming the new normal. 

With the frequency of deadly heat events growing across the globe, Dr. Mellisa Lem says it’s almost impossible to ignore the effects when the proof is already in our faces. 

Health Care Without Harm urges policymakers to advance the Environmental Justice for All Act

FOOD SYSTEMS

Anchors in Action: Building a future towards the food system we envision

Science & Environmental Health Network

Imagine if we and our children could eat institutional meals—whether in schools, universities, or hospitals—that were nourishing as well as reflective of our values?

Many of us have delighted in changes we’ve been fortunate to see on at least a small scale, such as on-site school gardens that involve the students and supply the cafeteria’s kitchen.

This is new data that shows just how profound these impacts are, and how expensive. Fortunately, there are exciting new developments that aim to harness the economic power of institutional food procurement, dramatically strengthening efforts to reverse the harms of the current global food system.

Food for health: Tracking food insecurity with leaders across the country

Nourish

On Friday April 29, 2022, Nourish Leadership gathered with 33 leaders from ten provinces and territories, coming from diverse roles in food and health systems.

Participants heard from experts from dietetics, academia, community food organisations, and elsewhere about promising policy openings for an integrated health response to food insecurity.

This workshop was part of Nourish Leadership's continuing work to identify policy innovations in the health care system and connected areas.

Nourish Leadership's mission is to catalyze and amplify health care leadership in community well-being, climate, equity and reconciliation.

Main line health hospital is fighting food insecurity with a farm built in its parking lot

ABC7

Back in the 2010s, Main Line Health Lankenau Medical Center noticed a need for its patients it could help fill.

A lot of people coming in were experiencing food insecurity and needed a lifestyle and diet change to become healthier. The hospital decided to turn one of its parking lots into a garden, called Deaver Wellness Farm.

Now, every week, 40 patients are designated to receive a free bag of food from the farm along with recipes that will teach them to cook healthier.

ELECTRIC VEHICLES

Electric vehicle registrations have tripled on P.E.I. since 2019

CBC News

P.E.I. easily led the country in growth in new electric vehicle registrations from 2019 to 2021.

Registrations of electric, hybrid and plug-in hybrid vehicles tripled on the Island during that time, growing from just 166 in 2019 to 494 in 2021, according to a report from Statistics Canada released this week.

Nationally, registrations were up about 50 per cent both from 2019 to 2021, and comparing the first quarters of 2021 and 2022.

EV week Winnipeg to purchase 100 electric buses, overhaul transit system

Electric Autonomy

The City of Winnipeg is moving ahead with plans to purchase electric buses and revamp its transit system after securing funding from three levels of government.

Last week, the federal, provincial and municipal governments pledged $509 million to Winnipeg Transit.

The money will go towards a redesign of Winnipeg Transit’s entire network with the acquisition of 100 electric buses, 135 diesel buses, charging infrastructure and a new garage.

Battery electric vehicle registrations in Canada hit a record high in Q1 2022, StatsCan reports

Electric autonomy

FACILITIES

Thunder Bay hospital gets accredited with 'exemplary' standing

TB News Watch

Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre impressed a team of evaluators from Accreditation Canada who recently visited the hospital.

Surveyors from the independent, not-for-profit organisation spent a week at TBRHSC in May to conduct an on-site assessment of leadership, governance, clinical programs and services.

In an announcement Wednesday,  TBRHSC described the results as  "outstanding." It said that for the first time in the hospital's history, it's among a select group to receive Accreditation Canada's highest possible rating – Exemplary Standing.

An executive summary of the report is available online.

Top areas to keep clean in senior care facilities

Healthcare Facilities Today

Senior care facilities require specific cleaning protocols. And while cleanliness is important in all areas of a care facility, there are some areas which are critical to keep clean. These areas, if overlooked, can cause significant problems.  

Cleaning senior care facilities is somewhat similar to cleaning daycares and schools, a fact that surprises some people. But why is this? Because unlike office spaces or industrial workplaces, there is a far greater risk of infection or disease in senior care facilities. Thorough cleaning, especially in key areas, is essential.  

Critical touch points to be cleaned in senior care homes include door handles, faucets, food trays, countertops, chairs, tables, light switches, toilet handles, handrails, and elevator buttons.

Energy Star Canada Awards 2022 Winners

Natural Resources Canada

Congratulations to Horizon's Saint John Regional Hospital for winning ENERGY STAR's 2022 Building of the Year!

Natural Resources Canada congratulates 17 organisations and 10 buildings for winning the 2022 ENERGY STAR Canada Awards for advancing energy efficiency.

The awards recognize organisations that have demonstrated excellence in offering Canadians the most energy-efficient products and technology available on the market.

Eleven winners announced in the 2022 SABMag Canadian Green Building Awards

SABMag

Eleven projects have been awarded in the 2022 SABMag Canadian Green Building Awards, with both Prince Edward Island and the Yukon being represented, along with entries from BC, Alberta, Ontario and Quebec.

Five of the winners were Passive House certified projects in a large range of building types, confirming that the industry is taking the challenge of reducing operating energy seriously without compromising its architectural ambitions.

See the winning projects

Register for the 2023 awards

Near real-time hourly weather data is now available directly within the latest version of RETScreen Software’s Performance Analysis module. As part of our ongoing collaboration with NASA, you can now download hourly weather data for the entire surface of the planet!

Click here to download RETScreen Expert

The Sustainability in Parma & Healthcare Congress 

Culinary medicine in food service round table

Attend a free virtual roundtable covering the intersection of food and health through presentations and conversations with leaders across the culinary world, hospital foodservice, advocacy, government, research, social sciences and education.



Date: September 19th, 2022 

Time: 11:00 AM EDT

Join CAPE-BC for their Healthy Climate Solutions Fair!

The Healthy Climate Solutions Fair is a public exhibition that explores the health impacts of climate change, and celebrates energy solutions in Canada we can use today to transition to 100% clean energy.

Dates: Aug. 20th & Sept. 17th, 2022 

Time: 11:00 AM - 3:00 PM PT

RETScreen® is a Clean Energy Management Software system for energy efficiency, renewable energy and cogeneration project feasibility analysis as well as ongoing energy performance analysis.

Have you registered as an organ donor?

Contact your local organ donation agency and speak to your family about your wishes. You have the power to save and transform lives.

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