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Circular Economy Month and Waste Reduction Week | |
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October is Circular Economy Month, Canada's month-long public awareness campaign dedicated to educating and engaging Canadians in the benefits of a circular economy over a linear economy model.
Canada's health services sector is poised to become a major influencer in helping change our traditional linear extraction and waste-based consumer economy into a new, functional circular economy which supports the maximum extraction of value from every item before being systematically and judiciously reinvented and/or regenerated at end of life. The growing demands on our health care system demand nothing less!
In 2021 the Coalition launched a project to demonstrate that hospital-generated PPE and mSUP materials can be successfully managed by applying the principles of a circular economy. This project explored and identified reuse and reduction opportunities for PPE and selected mSUPs, to complement and enable resource conservation. Learn more and explore project resources HERE.
In addition to Circular Economy Month, October 16th-20th is waste reduction week, a campaign to engage Canadians to better understand the issues of waste and the opportunities to transition to the circular economy.
Use the links below to learn more about the circular economy, waste reduction and health care.
Continue reading for an important message from the Honourable Steven Guilbeault, learn about two events on the topic and find our regular newsletter content.
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Minister Steven Guilbeault and Environment and Climate Change Canada Support Circular Economy Month |
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2023 Zero Waste Conference - Climate Action Through Circularity
Join the National Zero Waste Council at the 2023 Zero Waste Conference – an annual confluence of visionaries, innovators, and thought leaders committed to a future without waste.
This year, we dive deep into the power of circular economy and regenerative principles to drive climate action.
Where: Vancouver, BC
When: November 1st and 2nd, 2023
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Applying circular economy strategies to extend the life of existing buildings
Circular Economy Leadership Canada (CELC) and CSA Group are co-hosting a free public Knowledge Series webinar on applying circular economy strategies to extend the life of existing buildings in Canada, with a specific focus on office buildings.
Date: October 24th, 2023
Time: 9:30am-10:45am PT/ 12:30pm - 1:45pm ET
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And now back to our regular content... | |
SAVE THE DATE: Climate Grief Webinar | | |
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Save the date on November 8th at 9am PT/12pm ET so you can attend the Coalition's upcoming webinar on climate grief. Hear from speakers on how we can make climate feeling spaces more accessible and how we can transform our climate grief into actions for planetary health.
Additional details and link to register COMING SOON.
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Aligning finance: Closing the climate policy gap | |
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PEACH Health Ontario, the Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment and the OMA’s Green is Health MIG along with Partnerships for Environmental Action by Clinicians and Communities, invites you to hear from Senator Rosa Galvez, an environmental engineer and federal senator, on the topic of climate finance and policy.
Learn from Galvez, an expert and leader instrumental in drafting the Climate Aligned Finance Act, how government policy can influence climate health, and how physicians and the health sector can partner to move this work forward. Galvez will be available for a Q-and-A following her presentation and a recording of the virtual event will be available afterwards.
Date: October 26th, 2023
Time: 8:00pm ET
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Impact Investing - Hospital Divestment from fossil fuels and why it matters | | |
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OPINION: We need to stop making the climate crisis worse - and that means we need to stop burning fossil fuels. This doesn’t mean shutting off oil and gas overnight: it means planning to wind down and phase out fossil fuel use. But oil and gas companies are exploring for more resources, expanding production and walking back their climate targets.
This business-as-usual approach is making the problem worse. That’s why some in the health sector are starting to call for hospitals to divest from fossil fuels.
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Canadian College of Health Leaders' National Awards Program
The Canadian College of Health Leaders is inviting nominations for the 2024 National Awards Program. This is a great opportunity to recognize and promote the outstanding leaders and programs in your organisation.
Award recipients will be recognized during the College’s Honouring Health Leadership Event on June 2, 2024 in Halifax, NS. The date and format of this celebration will be announced later this year.
The deadline to submit nominations for the 4 individual awards is November 30, 2023. The deadline to submit nominations to the team and organisation awards is February 1, 2024.
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Call for Abstracts: CHES 2024 National Conference
Speaker abstracts are now being accepted for the 2024 CHES National Conference. This national conference attracts leaders from across Canada and around the world in the field of health care facilities design, engineering, operations and maintenance.
The CHES 2024 conference theme is “Enriching Patient Experiences by Optimizing the Environment”.
Accepted speakers will be notified by February 2024.
Please Visit www.ches.org for further details. You may submit your completed form HERE.
Deadline for submission: November 17th, 2023
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Launching the 2023 Report of the Lancet Countdown: Registration now open
GreenCare
Don't miss the launch of the 2023 Lancet Countdown Report - their most up-to-date and comprehensive assessment yet to the state of health and climate globally.
The 2023 Report of the Lancet Countdown draws on the expertise of 114 climate and health scientists, engineers, economists, political scientists, public health professionals and doctors from 52 research institutions and UN agencies from around the world to provide its most up-to-date and comprehensive assessment yet of the state of health and climate change globally.
Attend the virtual global launch on November 15th at 14:00 GMT.
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BMC launches innovative Clean Power Prescription program
Boston Medical Center
Boston Medical Center's Clean Power Prescription is a pilot program that enables BMC providers to identify patients in need and reduce their utility bill using renewable energy.
The program, made possible by the recent installation of solar panels on BMC's rooftop, will support the physical, economic, and environmental health of BMC patients and bring eligible low-income households the benefits of cleaner, less-expensive, renewable solar power.
To date, BMC's sustainability-focused efforts have reduced its utility bill by more than $8 million per year, money that has been invested back into patient care.
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World Food Day and Planetary Health Menus
Hospital food presents a $ 4 billion-a-year opportunity in Canada to make an incredible impact.
Rethinking hospital menus is one way food service teams can take climate action and improve the health and wellbeing of patients.
In honour of World Food Day on October 16th, we encourage you to learn about Planetary Health Menus from Nourish, and access the following resources:
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Sectors unit to create a value-based food purchasing framework
Health Care Without Harm
Picture a world in which every public-serving institution has the support it needs to invest in farms and food businesses, conserve natural resources, advance racial equity, promote animal welfare, and build community health and wealth.
These are the values that inspired the Anchors in Action alliance to develop the Anchors in Action Framework for Values-Based Food Procurement. The framework creates new opportunities for supply chain partners.
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Ivy charging network introduces Ivy Home Eco incentive for Ontario customers
Electric Autonomy
Electric Autonomy is pleased to introduce Ivy Home and the complementary Ivy Home Eco Incentive.
Ivy Charging Network is here to help drivers switch to driving electric by providing simple, reliable and affordable charging solutions.
Ivy operates one of Ontario’s most extensive public charging networks. But this year the company expanded its services to include home charging.
This comprehensive made-in-Ontario solution includes a Level 2 smart charger with professional install and up to $1,000 in savings.
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Pedal power for cleaner health care delivery
NHS England
In order to reduce their carbon footprint, Sussex Community NHS Foundation Trust (SCFT) chose to promote and support more active travel among staff, alongside expanding its electric and hybrid fleet.
SCFT invested initially in a single e-bike as a pool bike available to all staff to trial for work travel. Electric and hybrid pool cars were available for staff who wanted to walk or cycle for their commute to work but did not find this practical for patient visits.
The Trust now has three e-bikes dedicated to specific clinical teams for their sole use as well as a pool e-bike, and have covered around 8,000 miles in total, saving around 2 tonnes of CO2.
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Release of RETScreen® Version 9.0
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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!
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EVENTS, TRAINING AND WEBINARS | |
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Setting a course for sustainable health care: Strategic planning and roadmap development
Climate change and wider environmental degradation pose accelerating and complex threats for 21st-century health systems—and these modern health systems themselves are significant contributors to global carbon emissions, resource extraction and pollution.
Increasingly, the executives, boards, and health care staff leading Canada’s health systems are recognizing the need to address these challenges. With the recent release of Interior Health’s Climate Change and Sustainability Roadmap, Vancouver Coastal Health’s Planetary Health Roadmap, and Fraser Health’s Planetary Health Strategy, these health authorities are embedding health-focused sustainability and climate action in their organisational strategy.
In this webinar, hear from teams at each of these health authorities as they share their respective strategic plans and the processes that lead to them.
Date: November 21st
Time: 9am PT/12pm ET
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Municipalities - Energy Management Best Practices for Organisations
Save on Energy is offering a free training event for energy/facility managers and directors at small and medium municipalities in Ontario, to learn how to integrate energy management into public sector organisations.
Participants will learn about:
- Taking energy management initiatives from the ad-hoc to a systematic approach
- How to assess your organisational situation with respect to energy management
- The importance to understanding and working with the culture of the organisation
- The value of engaging staff for effective improvements
- Approached to staff engagement and behaviour change for energy efficiency
Although the webinars are free, registration is required.
Register today to save your spot!
Date: October 27h, 2023
Time: 7am PT/12pm ET
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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.
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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.
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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. | | | | |
