|
|
Follow us on social media! | |
Fundraising with the Coalition - Seeking volunteers | |
|
The Coalition is currently seeking community builders with fundraising and communications experience to join our volunteer committee.
As an organisation committed to an environmentally sustainable, climate resilient, net zero Canadian health system we want to build capabilities and capacity in individuals and organisations to enable the development of green health policies and practices.
We are actively recruiting members with a diversity of interests and experiences to join our new fundraising sub-committee of the the Coalition board launching in Fall 2023.
| |
Ontario Anesthesiologists Position Statement | |
|
Ontario’s Anesthesiologists, the organization representing anesthesiologists in this province, invites you to read and share their new position statement entitled Applying Circular Economy Principles to the Procurement and Use of Operating Room Medical Devices and Supplies.
Canada’s health-care sector creates nearly 5% of our country’s greenhouse gas emissions, in addition to generating some 200,000 tonnes of other pollutants. Between 60-80% of those health-care-related GHG emissions originate in the supply chain, mostly in the form of disposable equipment and supplies and waste-generating practices.
By applying a model that maximizes resource productivity while minimizing waste, we can reduce those figures and minimize the negative downstream health effects that arise from climate change as well as from air and water pollution. Implementing this model may also reduce health-care system costs.
We encourage you to share the with your hospital administrators and join Ontario's Anesthesiologists' advocacy efforts by sharing their posts on social media.
| |
Strategic Energy Management Program Launched | |
|
Financial incentives are now available to commercial building owners through the Existing Building Commissioning (EBCx) program under Save On Energy as part of the 2021-2024 Conservation and Demand Management Framework.
The EBCx program is designed to help owners, operators and managers of commercial and institutional buildings improve their energy management practices. It offers incentives to undertake recommissioning projects, helping to realize energy savings from improved facility operations and maintenance.
The EBCx program will help reduce Ontario’s overall demand for electricity, with forecasted targets of 70 GWh of energy savings and 21 MW of peak demand savings expected to persist to 2026.
| |
|
Health Care Emissions Impact Calculator
Practice Greenhealth
The Health Care Emissions Impact Calculator is an accounting tool specifically designed to help health care organisations measure their greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.
The calculator can be used to develop a GHG inventory at the facility and/or system level for all Scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions.
This tool will helps health care organisations take their first step on the path to emissions measurement, reporting, and reduction efforts.
It is the first free, publicly available tool of its kind for health care.
| |
|
Nursing Toolkit for Planetary Health
CFNU + CANE
Nurses should be aware of the contributions of the health care sector to the climate crisis through resource consumption, carbon emissions, waste, and air and water contamination. This underscores the urgent need to decrease the sector’s carbon footprint.
Nurses armed with knowledge, skills and networks can support planetary health and lead efforts to achieve sustainability and climate action in the provision of health care.
This toolkit will guide frontline nurses to take action and influence health care decision-makers to promote sustainability on all levels of health care delivery.
| |
Canada's National Adaptation Strategy: Building Resilient Communities and a Strong Economy | |
Climate change and extreme weather are affecting lives in Canada. We are already facing record-breaking climate events.
Wildfires, extreme heat waves and floods are becoming more frequent. The thawing of permafrost and rise in sea-levels are speeding up the erosion of our coasts. In short, climate-related disasters are impacting the very foundations of our communities.
Adaptation means creating safe and secure communities in this time of change. Building strong resilient communities means managing the risks to our health, well-being, and livelihoods. Canada's first National Adaptation Strategy is a shared vision of what we want our future to look like.
| |
|
Hospitals put climate change on the menu
AAMC News
Each year, hospitals across the United States dish up billions of meals. Those responsible for feeding thousands of visitors, patients, and employees every day contemplate numerous issues, from nutrition requirements to skyrocketing expenses.
But increasingly, they also focus on another significant concern: the environmental impact of what they serve and how.
This reality worries health care leaders who want to avoid contributing to environmental problems that can cause or worsen health conditions for the patients and communities they want to protect.
Hospitals across the country are taking actions to reduce the environmental impact from their food services.
| |
|
Limiting red meat availability in a university food service setting reduces food-related GHG emissions
Springer Link
Higher Education Institutions (HEI) can contribute to climate change mitigation through reductions in food-related greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.
Researchers examined the impact of serving a low-red meat menu one day per week on the GHG emissions associated with residential dining halls at a university setting in the USA.
They estimated that replacing red meat with lower-emission meat and red meat/poultry with fish or plant-based proteins could reduce GHG emissions by 14–46%. The study suggests there is considerable potential for HEI to reduce climate impacts through simple replacements of red meat with lower-emission proteins.
| |
|
Nourish is partnering with the World Resources Institute to bring the Coolfood Pledge to Canadian hospitals.
The Coolfood Pledge helps your organisation commit to and achieve a science-based target to reduce the climate impact of the food you serve.
Organisations serving 3.5 billion meals a year have signed up. Members are guided through a three-step approach: Pledge, Plan, and Promote.
| |
|
ENERGY STAR® Canada Annual Report 2023
ENERGY STAR®
| |
|
Celebrating 20 years, the ENERGY STAR® in Canada Annual Report highlights the yearly activities and achievements of this voluntary government-industry partnership. The reports chronicle the ongoing success story of leading Canadians to energy efficiency.
| |
|
FedEx Express Canada unveils its first 50 zero-emission BrightDrop vans
Electric Autonomy
FedEx Express Canada unveiled the first 50 BrightDrop Zevo 600 delivery vans it has added to its fleet at its Toronto depot this week.
The moment comes exactly one year after FedEx took delivery of its first Zevo 600s in the U.S. And just six months after the first BrightDrop van rolled off the assembly line at General Motors’ retooled CAMI plant in Ingersoll, Ont.
These first 50 BrightDrops in Canada are part of FedEx’s goal to achieve 50 per cent electric global pick up and delivery vehicle purchases by 2025. The company intends on rising to 100 per cent electric purchases by 2030.
| |
|
A roadmap to boost Indigenous participation in Canada's zero-emission funding programs
Electric Autonomy
As Canada strives to accelerate the adoption of zero-emission transportation and clean energy opportunities, ensuring the inclusion and participation of Indigenous communities and businesses is essential.
However, a recent news report based on findings from an access-to-information (ATI) request revealed that only a low number of Indigenous organisations are participating in Natural Resources Canada’s Clean Fuels Fund (CFF).
This finding raises particular questions given that the $1.5-billion CFF program includes $250 million specifically reserved for Indigenous-led projects.
| |
|
Should hospitals add electric vehicle charging stations?
Healthcare Facilities Today
| |
|
Electric vehicles are slowly settling into mainstream consciousness. They serve as a sustainable and environmentally friendly alternative to traditional gasoline-powered vehicles.
Full electric vehicles are at a slower adoption rate, however, options like hybrid models are bridging that initial gap. As their use continues to grow, hospitals may opt to include charging stations on their property.
| |
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!
| |
EVENTS, TRAINING AND WEBINARS | |
2023 CHES National Conference | |
Registration is now open for the 43rd annual CHES National Conference!
Attend or exhibit to connect with delegates from health care facilities, architects, engineers & contractors from across Canada and Internationally.
Dates: September 17th-19th
Location: RBC Convention Centre, Winnipeg
| |
|
Annual CQuIPS Symposium 2023
Registration is now open for the Annual CQuIPS Symposium 2023.
Develop and expand skills to accelerate and deepen the work of individuals and teams seeking to improve quality and patient safety, foster connections and conversations that spark new ideas and collaborations; and enable knowledge exchange through scholarly dissemination of quality improvement and patient safety work.
Date: November 1st, 2023
Location: The Peter Gilgan Centre for Research and Learning, Toronto, ON
REGISTER HERE.
| |
|
Trees for Life Event with the City of Edmonton
Trees for Life is planting trees in partnership with City of Edmonton and TD to celebrate health heroes. Planting a tree in their honour is a great way to show appreciation and benefit communities at the same time.
The Trees for Life, Trees for Heroes program works with a number of partners across Canada to see trees planted as a way of saying "thank you" to the many individuals that make our communities and our country a great place to live - in this case a tribute to our health care heroes.
Date: June 15th
Time: 10 am - 2 pm
Location: Tawa Park, Edmonton
Email Brenda@treesforlife.ca to RSVP.
| |
|
2023 CHES Webinar Series
Up Next: Leading Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) in Organizations for Non-EDI Experts
The social awakening has brought the need to prioritize Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) in organizations (and everywhere) to the forefront of the world stage. The widespread awareness of systemic racism has demonstrated that individual respectful efforts are not enough. And yet, despite best intentions, many don't know where to start or how to expand. This interactive webinar will cover how non-EDI-experts can begin to approach embedding EDI as a priority at the individual, team, organizational, community, and system levels.
Dates: July 5th, 2023
Time: 12:00 pm EST
REGISTER HERE.
| | |
|
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 | |
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. | | | | |
