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New Guidebook - Building Sustainable Home Care Services: A Guide for Health Care Leaders
The Coalition is proud to introduce Building Sustainable Home Care Services: A Guide for Health Care Leaders, developed in collaboration with PEACH Health Ontario.
This practical guide supports health care leaders and organisations in advancing sustainable practices across home care. It highlights actions that can reduce environmental impacts, improve system efficiency, generate cost savings, and better align care with patient goals and values.
The development of this guide was made possible with an investment from the Government of Canada’s Low Carbon Economy Implementation Readiness Fund.
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New Case Study - Integrating Sustainability into Investment Practices
With over C$3 billion in assets under management, learn how the Canadian Medical Association put their investments to work toward promoting healthy populations, environments, and long-term financial viability, thanks to 3 steps:
- Integrating environmental, social, and governance in investment practices
- Evaluating Asset Manager climate commitment
- Reducing exposure to fossil-fuel dependent companies
This case study was developed as part of the Healthy Capital project, complementing it's sustainable investment tools for health care foundations.
| | Get Involved - Green Revolving Funds: Share Your Experience and Learn More | | |
Green Revolving Funds (GRFs) can help health care organisations turn savings from energy-efficiency and sustainability projects into funding for future action.
The Coalition is currently developing a GRF Fact Sheet and seeking a clearer picture of current and past GRF experience across the Canadian health care sector — as well as interest among organisations that would like to establish or advance one.
Share your experience or interest by complete our short (1-2 minute) survey linked below. Your input can help identify lessons, barriers, potential case studies and opportunities for future resources or peer-learning support.
*Practice Greenhealth is also hosting a partners-exclusive webinar “From Concept to Capital: Launch Your Green Revolving Fund” on September 9, a technical session focused on putting GRFs into practice.
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EARTH Healthcare Sustainability Quality Improvement Program
Calling all Canadian medical students and residents - do you have an idea for a sustainability project in health care?
EARTH (Environmental Action by Residents and Trainees for Health) is now recruiting for its second cohort of projects. Apply as a group (Funding stream) or as an individual (Discovery stream). Gain access to $500 in funding and connection with mentors!
Also, join the Virtual Showcase on Wednesday, September 9 to celebrate the success of the first cohort of EARTH trainee-led projects. This event is a great chance to learn, share ideas, and be inspired by the innovative work happening across the country.
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National Clinical Sustainability Challenge
The National Clinical Sustainability Challenge (NCSC) is a six-month, interdisciplinary initiative challenging student teams to design and implement practical Quality Improvement (QI) solutions for real-world sustainability problems, such as operating room waste or food service.
Why Participate?
- Gain technical decarbonization skills and receive dedicated mentorship.
- Access the exclusive Sustainable QI Resource Repository featuring expert lectures on methodology and process mapping.
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Finalists will present at the MS4SF Spring 2027 conference, with travel and registration support provided for student teams.
Deadline: October 1st, 2026
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Guidance on Upper Indoor Temperature Limits: Protecting the Health of Older Adults
Health Canada
Health Canada’s new guidance is an important step toward protecting older adults as climate change brings more frequent and intense extreme heat events. By establishing evidence-based indoor temperature limits, the publication provides public health officials and other stakeholders with a valuable tool to reduce preventable heat-related illness and deaths. It also reinforces the importance of adapting our homes, buildings, and health systems to a changing climate and protecting those most vulnerable to its impacts.
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Why Climate Change and Mental Health Belong in the Same Conversation
Planetary Health Alliance
This essay highlights the inseparable relationship between climate change and mental health. Climate-related disasters, displacement, biodiversity loss, and uncertainty can contribute to anxiety, grief, depression, and trauma.
The author argues that health care professionals must recognize environmental protection as disease prevention and integrate mental health into climate action, emphasizing resilience, hope, and collective responsibility for a healthier planet.
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Food is Health Infrastructure: A Policy Framework for Healthy, Sustainable Food in Canadian Health Care
Nourish
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Development, Implementation, and Evaluation of a Planetary Health Menu in a Canadian ?Hospital
The Lancet
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After a decade of working alongside health care leaders to transform food in hospitals and long-term care, Nourish is presenting a clear set of policy recommendations for governments.
This is a critical moment for governments to provide the mandate, funding, and accountability needed to take this work to scale. Doing so would activate hospitals and long-term care organisations as anchor institutions who more effectively steward health and wealth in communities, and at a planetary scale.
| | This study demonstrates how Canadian hospitals can make meaningful changes to food services that benefit both patient health and the environment. By introducing a more plant-rich menu, researchers show that sustainable hospital food can be nutritionally appropriate, culturally diverse, and well received by patients, while substantially reducing environmental impacts. The publication provides practical evidence that health care institutions can use their food systems as an important opportunity to advance planetary health and climate action. | | |
Resilience Planning in Remote Health Care Facilities
Healthcare Facilities Today
Assumptions about equipment failures and response times change when a hospital is hundreds of miles from the nearest major city.
Resilience planning in a remote facility cannot rely on a quick fix taking place on short notice. Key infrastructure decisions must account for the fact that when something breaks, the people, parts and specialized expertise needed to restore service might be far away.
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Scope Sustainability: Slashing Single-Use Plastic Bottles
The Lancet Planetary Health
An endoscopy programme implemented a multistep quality improvement initiative replacing sterile water in disposable plastic bottles with tap water in reusable containers for upper and lower endoscopic procedures.
The initiative effectively reduced plastic waste and emissions while maintaining patient safety, providing a replicable model for sustainable health care practices.
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2025 Climate Change Accountability Reports (CCARs)
Green Care
Four B.C. health organisations have released their 2025 Climate Change Accountability Reports, highlighting progress toward low-carbon, climate-resilient and environmentally sustainable care.
From reducing anesthetic gas emissions and improving recycling to strengthening climate resilience and optimizing hospital energy use, the reports showcase how sustainability is being integrated across health care.
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Read the reports to learn more:
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Preparing Toronto’s Health Care for Extreme Heat Report
The Collaborative Centre for Climate, Health & Sustainable Care
This report highlights the urgent need for health care systems to prepare for the growing threat of extreme heat. Developed through collaboration across Toronto’s health care, public health, government, research, and community sectors, it identifies practical opportunities to strengthen coordination and protect heat-vulnerable populations.
The report is an important example of how health care organisations can work collectively to build climate-resilient systems and ensure that preparedness for extreme heat becomes an integral part of routine care and emergency planning.
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Environmental Stewardship in Practice: Supporting Accreditation Readiness
Date: October 1, 2026
Time: 11:30am - 12:30pm ET
Join CASCADES for the launch of a new practical guidance resource, available in English and French, designed to support health care organisations in preparing for the environmental stewardship criteria within the Leadership Standards.
During the webinar, speakers from Vancouver Coastal Health, Interior Health, Victoria Hospice, and Health Quality BC, will explore the different environmental stewardship criteria and share examples of evidence and approaches from their organisations.
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CHES 2026 National Conference: Future-Proofing Health Care for Demographic Shifts
Date: September 20-22, 2026
Location: St. John’s Convention Centre, St. John’s, NL
The CHES 2026 National Conference brings together health care engineers, facility managers, and industry experts for two days of learning, networking, and innovation.
Coalition team member William Gagnon will be one of the guest speakers. Check him out at the podium and don't forget to visit the Coalition booth on the trade show floor!
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Plant-Based on the Menu: Building the Case for Plant-Derived Hospital Meals
Date: September 9, 2026
Time: 11:00am-12:00pm ET
Location: Online
Join this event to learn how plant-rich meals can support healthier, more sustainable hospitals.
Hear from researcher Maaike van Bree and NHS Chef Nedko Rusev about evidence, innovation, implementation, and transforming hospital menus.
Register Here.
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Sustainable AI Procurement: Launch of Health Care Without Harm's New Guide
Date: September 23, 2026
Time: 3:50pm-4:40pm ET
Location: Online
Procurement is one of the most direct levers health care organisations can use to influence the implications of AI adoption. By asking about key environmental factors that contribute to health, health care organisations can better understand AI’s impact and seek vendors committed to environmental stewardship and a healthy environment for all.
Register Here.
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What’s Working: LTC Homes Share Successes in Appropriate Antipsychotic Use
Date: October 1, 2026
Time: 12:00pm-1:00pm ET
Location: Online
Join the Appropriate Use Coalition for a peer-to-peer session featuring long-term care homes in Alberta, Manitoba, and Ontario.
Learn about the strategies and practices that have helped these homes achieve and maintain the national target for appropriate antipsychotic use.
Register Here.
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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 HERE.
| | 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. | | | | |
