December 22, 2022

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HAPPY HOLIDAYS

The Canadian Coalition for Green Health Care would like to wish everyone in our network a very warm and restful holiday season! We look forward to connecting with you in the new year as we work together to build an environmentally sustainable, climate resilient, and net-zero health system that benefits people and the planet.


As 2022 comes an end, the Coalition has some important updates to share with you. This includes the retirement of our Executive Director, Neil Ritchie, the appointment of his successor, Dr. Myles Sergeant and the introduction of five new members to our Board of Directors. Read on to learn more!


Thank you and have a safe and happy holidays.

A message from Executive Director, Neil Ritchie

Dear Green Health Supporters,  


I’ll be stepping away from the position of Executive Director, effective Feb 1st. but hope to continue to engage senior health leaders in our work. It’s been a real privilege to serve in this role. I am grateful for having worked with such a terrific team and for the progress that we’ve made. I’m delighted that Dr. Myles Sergeant has agreed to assume the role for the next six months until the new Board has decided its direction. Thank you all for your friendship, support and most of all, your passion for people and the planet. 



Kind regards, 

Neil Ritchie

About Dr. Myles Sergeant

Dr. Myles Sergeant is a family physician who has worked with vulnerable populations, including new immigrants and refugees, people experiencing homelessness and/or addictions, and the elderly, over the past 25 years.


Recognizing the intersection between environmental issues and health, he is dedicated to addressing climate change issues and has co- founded Partnerships for Environmental Action by Clinicians and Communities for Health care facilities, the charity Trees for Hamilton in 2012, and the not-for-profit Shelter Health Network in 2005.

Meet our Board

Anne Dale

Emily Huang

Harry Vandermeer


Jerome Ribesse

Dr. Kim-Chi Tran


Mauricio Acosta

Nicole M. Landgraff Wegner

Peter Rowles

Reynolds Peter

Your copy should address 3 key questions: Who am I writing for? (Audience) Why should they care? (Benefit) What do I want them to do here? (Call-to-Action)


Create a great offer by adding words like "free" "personalized" "complimentary" or "customized." A sense of

Sean Christie

Your copy should address 3 key questions: Who am I writing for? (Audience) Why should they care? (Benefit) What do I want them to do here? (Call-to-Action)


Create a great offer by adding words like "free" "personalized" "complimentary" or "customized." A sense of

Read their full biographies on our website

Take our readership survey

As we look forward to the new year, the Canadian Coalition for Green Health Care would like to hear from our readers regarding the content of our newsletter, The Green Digest. Your feedback will guide us in ensuring our team provides the best possible product for your reading pleasure.  


If you have additional questions or comments please contact [email protected]

Take our short survey

UPCOMING OPPORTUNITIES

CHES - Call for submissions

The Spring 2023 issue of CHES's Journal, Canadian Healthcare Facilities (CHF), is currently seeking article submissions related to the following topics: Technology & Innovation, Infection Prevention & Control and Health & Safety. If you are interested in submitting an article, please contact the Journal's Editor, Clare Tattersall, at [email protected] with the proposed topic. All topics must be pre-approved by the Editor prior to article submission. The deadline for final article submissions is January 27th, 2023.

Energy and Environmental Stewardship Award

The Canadian College of Health Leaders is inviting nominations for the 2023 Energy and Environmental Stewardship Award.


This award recognizes a progressive health care organisation that has implemented organizational wide initiatives demonstrating environmental responsibility through the reduction of energy usage, the preservation of natural resources and effective waste diversion solutions. Possible initiatives include the implementation of energy efficient building systems and solutions, comprehensive energy and environmental awareness programs, waste management initiatives, and green procurement practices.


If you know of a specific individual or team that is worthy of recognition, make a nomination by February 1st, 2023.

Learn more

Release of RETScreen® Version 9.0

Version 9 of the RETScreen® Clean Energy Management Software platform was released on October 13th, 2022 and is now available for download from the RETScreen website. This update has arrived with a number of salient new features to enhance the RETScreen experience!

List of new features
Learn more about RETScreen

HEALTH

Energy bills: Patients prescribed heating as part of health trial

BBC News

Doctors are prescribing heating to patients with conditions that get worse in the cold as part of a health trial. The Warm Home Prescription pilot paid to heat the homes of 28 low-income patients to avoid the cost of hospital care if they became more ill. The trial achieved such good results it is being expanded to 1,150 homes.

Learn more

CLIMATE ACTION

Toward a net-zero heath care system: Actions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions

ResearchGate


Health care emissions stem directly from the operations of health care facilities (defined as scope 1 emissions) as well as indirectly from purchased sources of energy (scope 2) and the supply chain of health care services and goods (scope 3).


In this article, the authors briefly review sources of GHG emissions in health care and explore opportunities for mitigation that can help to move toward an environmentally sustainable, net-zero health care system. They categorize interventions across five categories: buildings, transport, food, pharmaceuticals, and waste. As a sixth category, they detail the role that physicians can play in mitigating emissions from health care and society in general.

Read more

Globe Climate: biodiversity, genetics, and commercial gain at COP15

The Globe and Mail


December 12th, was the last day of COP15, the United Nations biodiversity conference in Montreal.


In the early hours of the day, delegates reached a historic agreement to boost prospects for the long-term survival of the natural world and everyone who depends on it. The newly adopted global framework would guide conservation efforts through the end of the decade with the aim of seeing species and ecosystems recovering in all regions by mid-century.


Included in the adopted framework is the requirement that countries work to conserve 30 per cent of the planet by 2030. The “30-by-30″ target is one that Canada, among several other countries, has pushed for at the talks.

Learn more

Planetary health, indigenous knowledge and health care

ResearchGate


Background Planetary health is a movement to promote a healthy planet as the most important determinant of human health. Indigenous knowledge often encompasses a holistic view of nature and people in a way more akin to planetary health than to healthcare systems based on people alone.


A change in health care's worldview could help it become more environmentally sustainable. The aim of this review was to identify gaps in the literature and opportunities for further research at the nexus of Indigenous knowledge, environmental sustainability and healthcare. 

Read more

TEDx talk: Healing our wounds and healing the world


Get inspired by Gary Cohen’s recent TEDx talk as he shares how Health Care Without Harm, Practice Greenhealth, and their partners are building a global movement within the health care sector to take on the greatest challenges of our time.


“We no longer have the luxury of time to create the world we’ve dreamed about. We need to do it now,” Cohen urges. “We need to change the very mission of business to serve humanity. We need to create an economy that creates community health, community wealth, and climate resilience, and doesn’t externalize harm or make people expendable.”

Watch the video

ELECTRIC VEHICLES

Charging ahead: Ensuring equity and reliability in Canada's EV network

CSA Group


A key component of Canada’s transition to a low-carbon economy will be the decarbonization of the transportation sector. This shift requires a reimagining of passenger, public transit, and commercial vehicles, and an entirely new system of public and private infrastructure to support refuelling these vehicles with alternative fuels like electricity.


The federal government is pushing forward with cost-sharing programs alongside numerous provincial and municipal initiatives to build sufficient public and private EV charging infrastructure.


However, it is important that these long-term investments be made thoughtfully and strategically to ensure that no one is left behind in the low-carbon transition. If the future of mobility is electric, it is crucial that governments, charging network operators, and utilities work together to build a Canada-wide EV charging network that is equitable and reliable.

Read more

Northwest Territories tackles EV affordability, access to charging in new action plan

Electric Autonomy


The Northwest Territories (N.W.T.) is aiming to reduce emissions by 51 kilotons, increase renewable energy adoption and invest in EV infrastructure in the government’s 2022-2025 Energy Action Plan.


In N.W.T., transportation is responsible for about 55 per cent of the total greenhouse gas emissions. Over $2.26 million is being allocated to initiatives to lower emissions in the transportation sector over the next three years. The 2022-2025 Energy Action Plan is the second three-year energy plan released since 2019.


“This action plan provides the government of N.W.T. and its partners with a roadmap over the next three years to advance initiatives that will contribute to reducing the cost of energy for residents, keeping our energy systems reliable, and reducing territorial GHG emissions,” says Diane Archie, N.W.T’s minister of infrastructure.

Learn more

Announcing the new Charge for Change program

Earth Day Canada

Earth Day Canada is excited to announce its partnership with Aviva Canada for this new program that will deliver level 2 electric vehicle (EV) charging stations for public use in at least nine underserved communities across Canada.


Assessing those most in need, Earth Day Canada and Aviva Canada will assist, in cooperation with the local municipality and utility, to help level the playing field in terms of EV adoption.


Eligible municipalities will be able to apply

from January 3, 2023 - March 22, 2023.

Read the official press release
Discover the program

EVENTS, TRAINING AND WEBINARS

Registration is open for CleanMed 2023

As the premier health care sustainability conference, CleanMed offers the strategies, tools, and connections you need to make progress toward your goals. CleanMed is the epicenter of health care collaboration, drawing leading experts as keynote speakers and session leads.


Register this month to have your CleanMed attendance costs included in your organization’s budget before the end of 2022 and by Feb. 28, 2023 to take advantage of our early bird rates.

Register today

International Congress for Academic Medicine

Registration is now open for the International Congress on academic (ICAM). 


ICAM is the first international gathering dedicated to academic medicine. It will be the place for the academic medicine community to meet, network, and develop new relationships and collaborations with colleagues from around the world.



ICAM will showcase innovation and scholarship in medical education and health research. Medical students, residents and graduate students will have the opportunity to present their work, network and connect with medical education and research mentors as well as prospective employers.


Dates: April 13th - April 18th, 2023


Register by January 31st, 2023 to access early bird rates!

Register here
Become an exhibitor


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.



Learn more

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.

Learn more and register to donate

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.

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