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Webinar - Canadian Health Care Forests: How to Bring Nature to Your Health Care Facility
Date: January 16th, 2025
Time: 9:00AM PT/12:00PM ET
Join us for an engaging and insightful webinar exploring how nature-based interventions can transform health care environments and promote well-being for patients, health care workers, and communities.
This session features three dynamic speakers who bring unique perspectives on the intersection of health, nature, and climate action. Together, our speakers will guide participants through practical approaches to integrating nature into health care facilities, share inspiring success stories, and offer tools for advocating for sustainable practices that benefit both people and the planet.
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Webinar - Rethinking Nitrous Oxide in Health Care: An Environmental and Economic Initiative
Date: January 20th, 2025
Time: 4:00PM PT/7:00PM ET
As part of the Coalition's Preparing Health Care Buildings for Net-Zero project, this upcoming webinar will provide education on the clinical uses for nitrous oxide (N2O) and highlight the significant economic and environmental benefits to a nitrous oxide mitigation program.
The webinar will review the steps to decommissioning existing centralized nitrous oxide delivery systems and discuss how to engage stakeholders in new hospital developments to ensure that centralized delivery systems are not part of the infrastructure.
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Join the Coalition TODAY! | |
Become a member of the Coalition for 2025 and support a network of health care professionals, green health practitioners, organisations, students, and businesses dedicated to advancing sustainable health care practices.
For over 20 years, the Coalition has supported individuals and organisations in sharing best practices and meeting the growing demands for environmentally responsible health care. By becoming a member, you'll have access to a virtual platform that fosters collaboration, provides innovative solutions, and helps reduce the environmental impact of health care. Together, we are building a healthier, more sustainable future for Canada's health care system.
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If you missed our '2024 Year in Review' you can view the infographic HERE. | |
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Northwest Territories health system becomes first jurisdiction in Canada to phase out super polluting anesthetic gas Desflurane
Northwest Territories Medical Association
The Northwest Territories (NWT) became the first Canadian jurisdiction to phase out the super-polluting anesthetic gas desflurane in 2024, reducing health care-related greenhouse gas emissions. This aligns with the NWT's Climate Change Strategic Framework and demonstrates leadership in sustainable health care.
Desflurane, with a global warming potential thousands of times greater than CO₂, accounted for up to 80% of anesthetic-related emissions. Replacing it with alternatives like Sevoflurane lowers costs and environmental impact. Highlighting climate change as a public health emergency, NWT’s move underscores the need for climate-resilient health care systems. The initiative encourages other provinces to follow suit by 2025.
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Indigenous Elders' voices on health-systems change informed by planetary health: a qualitative and relational systems mapping inquiry
The Lancet
Indigenous elders are respected for their land-based knowledge and offer valuable insights into addressing climate change, including in clinical health-care settings. This study explored health-system changes informed by planetary health through a sharing circle with Elders in the circumpolar north.
Elders identified four cyclical themes: the past, present, future, and reflections, depicted in a relational systems map. They emphasized that planetary health concepts must remain connected to their environmental and social contexts. Findings revealed that current health systems lack environmental considerations, underscoring the need to integrate ecological awareness and Indigenous knowledge for culturally relevant and sustainable health-care solutions.
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Opinions about climate change, health, and pharmacy education among pharmacy faculty and administrators in the United States: A cross-sectional survey | |
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The pharmacy profession must address climate change and its impact on health. Student pharmacists should be made aware of roles in sustainability, education, patient care, and advocacy; yet, pharmacy educators’ perceptions of climate change and health may impact the extent and quality of education provided.
The primary objective of this research was to assess pharmacy educators' beliefs regarding climate change and whether its effects on health should be included in Doctor of Pharmacy curricula. Secondary objectives were to identify potential barriers, helpful materials, and current and future tactics to provide this content.
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Health care providers: Share your perspectives on inhalers and the environment | |
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Canadian researchers are conducting a survey on the environmental impact of inhalers and invite health care professionals across Canada to share their insights and sustainable practices. The survey is led by the Canadian Thoracic Society's Choosing Wisely Working Group and takes ~10-15 minutes to complete. Participants will have the chance to win one of three $100 Amazon gift cards.
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2024 Global Report on Food Crisis
FSIN and Global Network Against Food Crises
The Global Report on Food Crises 2024 analyzes acute food insecurity and malnutrition in regions identified as being in crisis during 2023. It consolidates data through a rigorous, transparent, and consultative multi-agency process, providing a reference for humanitarian and development stakeholders.
The report highlights drivers of food crises, tracks their evolution, and identifies risks to food security and nutrition. It aims to keep food security and nutrition high on policymakers’ agendas, advocate for timely responses, and offer insights into immediate and medium-term risks, supporting informed action to address global food crises effectively.
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Indigenous foodways: Rooted in sustainability, reciprocity and respect
Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives
Indigenous food systems, deeply rooted in sustainability, reciprocity, and respect, have been disrupted by colonization, leading to the decimation of food sources and forced relocations. This disruption has hindered the transmission of essential knowledge and skills.
Recent events, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, have highlighted disparities in food access and pricing, especially in remote Indigenous communities. Despite these challenges, many Indigenous communities and allied organisations across Canada are actively working to restore Indigenous foodways, blending traditional and modern methods to grow, share, and prepare traditional foods as medicine.
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Halton Healthcare begins writing prescriptions for nature for patients
Global News
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Halton Healthcare has become the first hospital system in Canada to partner with PaRx, a program that prescribes nature as medicine. PaRx, an initiative of the BC Parks Foundation, enables health care providers to incorporate nature prescriptions into patient care plans, promoting outdoor activities for improved health.
Studies have shown that spending time in nature can lead to various health benefits, including reduced stress and improved mental well-being. With over 16,000 health care professionals registered, the program has issued more than one million nature prescriptions across Canada, aiming to create healthier communities through accessible outdoor experiences. Halton Healthcare's partnership with PaRx reflects an innovative, proactive approach to health care, emphasizing preventive lifestyle measures and holistic care.
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Version 9.1 of the RETScreen® Clean Energy Management Software platform 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!
One of the latest features is an automated Net Zero Planning Tool which further enables portfolio-wide decarbonization planning, implementation, monitoring and reporting – all available within one single multilingual platform. Learn more about the new tool HERE.
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Tackling Climate Change in Health Care: UK’s 10-Year Journey
Choosing Wisely Talks
Date: January 29th, 2025
Time: 12:00PM-1:00PM ET
Canada’s health care system accounts for nearly 5% of the country’s greenhouse gas emissions—more than aviation and shipping industries. As one of the highest per capita health care polluters globally, how can we reduce our environmental impact? And what can we learn from countries that have successfully implemented greener health systems?
Join Choosing Wisely Talks for a discussion on addressing climate change in health care practice. Expert speakers from the Centre for Sustainable Healthcare will share lessons learned from a decade of environmentally sustainable quality improvement efforts in the UK.
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Providing Culturally Safe Care for Inuit
Univeristy of British Columbia
Date: March 19th, 2025
Time: 9:00PM-10:30PM ET
This webinar will explore the key principles of providing culturally safe care to Inuit patients, focusing on the unique cultural norms, values, and communication styles of Inuit communities. Through thoughtful discussion and practical examples, participants will learn how to build trust and establish respectful, effective relationships with Inuit patients. The session will guide learners in navigating cross-cultural interactions with sensitivity, awareness, and cultural humility. Learners will also be introduced to tools and strategies for engaging with Inuit communities in ways that foster mutual respect, understanding, and reciprocity, empowering them to provide care that is culturally safe.
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ECO Impact 2025
Date: February 12th-13th, 2025
Location: The Westin, Calgary, AB
This year, ECO Canada is putting the spotlight on industry pioneers and trailblazers who are transforming the environmental sector through AI, education, and workforce innovation. Be part of the conversation on “Powering Green Careers through Innovation and Technology” and connect with a dynamic lineup of visionaries and thought leaders shaping the future. Don’t miss this opportunity to learn, engage, and lead at Canada’s top event for Environmental Professionals.
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EV Innovation and Technology Conference 2025
Date: February 6th, 2025
Location: York University Second Student Center, Toronto, ON
In February, EV supply chain stakeholders will gather in Toronto to discuss challenges facing the industry — from Trump tariffs to Canadian innovation driving the sector forward.
Early bird pricing for the EV Innovation & Technology Conference ends tomorrow. Register now with code EARLYBIRD50 for $50 off your conference pass.
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Dates and Topics:
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January 22nd, 2025 - A Roadmap: Capital Planning to Project Delivery
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February 26th, 2025 - Enrich Patient Experiences by Leveraging Technology and Utilizing Predictive Analytics
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March 19th, 2025 - Safety 101…According to the CSA Standards…You don’t know what you don’t know
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April 23rd, 2025 - Structural Upgrade of Pre-Code Hospital Building to Meet Modern Safety and Operational Standards
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May 21st, 2025 - CSA Z462 2024 Edition Significant Impacts for Hospitals
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June 18th, 2025 - Flooring & CSA Z8000 Canadian Health Care Facilities Planning, Design and Construction
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October 15th, 2025 - Infection Prevention and Control
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November 19th, 2025 - Improving Energy Efficiency While Saving Precious Real Estate and Reducing Operational Costs: How Wastewater Heat Recovery Helped Toronto Western Hospital Achieve All Three
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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.
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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. | | | | |
