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Health Care Waste Management Community of Practice
Health care waste management processes, regulations and definitions vary across Canadian jurisdictions, and many do not maximize opportunities for environmental sustainability.
CASCADES, in partnership with the Coalition, is assembling a community of practice (CoP) to enhance sustainability within health care waste management processes in Canada.
The CoP meetings will be quarterly. The first meeting is scheduled for October 26th 2-3 pm ET. Please complete a brief survey to share your interest in participating in this CoP and your recommendations for topics and speakers for these meetings.
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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 Coalition board launching in Fall 2023.
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Toolkits for Clinics, Offices and Primary Care | |
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Green Office Toolkit: For Clinicians and Office Managers
In April 2023, the Coalition proudly announces the release of the new Green Office Toolkit inspired by the first version released five years ago in 2018.
In this toolkit you will find practical and affordable ideas to make eco-friendly office improvements, with the ultimate goal of helping health professionals support the health and wellbeing of patients, while respecting the foundations of health for present and future generations.
A big thank you to our partners and the experts across Canada that contributed to this exciting new resource.
*This toolkit offers a more general guide for offices and beyond.
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Sustainable Primary Care Toolkit
This toolkit highlights ways practitioners can integrate sustainability into their clinical work in primary care settings.
It is designed around four principles of environmentally sustainable health care: Reducing unnecessary care, empowering patients, shifting our focus towards health promotion and prevention, and choosing lower impact alternatives.
It offers examples, practice tips and links to existing resources to educate, inspire and remove barriers to change, organized around the four principles.
*This toolkit is more clinical based and geared towards primary care.
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Call for Speakers - Help shape the next CleanMed | |
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CleanMed 2024 will bring people together May 21-23 in Salt Lake City to connect, share, and build upon solutions for a more sustainable health care sector – and they want your help.
The selection committee is looking for dynamic presentations that:
- spark imagination, ideas, and action at the nexus of health and the environment
- excite health care professionals about proven practices and innovative solutions
- push the leading edge of environmental sustainability
- demonstrate the power of collaboration
- incorporate, embrace, and celebrate diverse voices, perspectives, and lived experiences
Deadline for submission: September 15th, 2023
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Climate change leading Simcoe County hospitals to reduce their carbon footprint
Simcoe
While Canadians are seeing the impact of climate change through storms, extreme heat and wildfires, the impact on our health is still being calculated.
Dr. David Ohrling, chief of the department of anesthesiology at Collingwood General and Marine Hospital (CGMH), is the lead author of the Ontario's Anesthesiologists’ position paper on climate change.
Ohrling said the health-care industry needs to do more to decrease its carbon footprint. In recognition of this, CGMH recently passed a sustainably policy and has a committee looking at a variety of initiatives, including reducing their carbon footprint by eliminating the use of a gas called desflurane.
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Reduce energy demand and decarbonizing health care facilities
Heathcare Facilities Today
Increasing energy efficiency and transitioning away from fossil fuels has many advantages, including reduced operational costs, lower carbon footprint, reduced environmental impact and fewer adverse health effects on surrounding communities and the atmosphere.
Improving the energy efficiency of health care facilities will help offset rising energy costs and improve resilience in these uncertain times. Decarbonizing health care is challenging, and it takes careful planning and collaboration from all stakeholders.
This article discusses how to assess the impacts of energy use, what strategies can be used to cut demand, and how facilities can prepare for electrification.
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New sustainability champions at Kootenay Lake Hospital take on climate change
Global News
Hospitals across the Interior Health region are integrating sustainability champion roles in efforts to reduce climate change impacts.
At Kootenay Lake Hospital (KLH), registered nurses Jessica Mackintosh, Rosie Sheppard and Catherine Triggs are assuming the roles of sustainability champions and will undertake environmental sustainability projects in the Nelson area.
As part of their new positions, Mackintosh and Sheppard will be contributing to KLH’s Facility Engagement Engaging in Climate Change Action Group, a group of KLH physicians who are working to educate the public about the health effects of climate change.
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Environment and Climate Change Canada releases a pollution planning (P2) notice
Cision
To address the environmental crises of climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution, there is a need to do business differently. That is why the Government of Canada (GOC) is taking action to reduce plastic pollution through a comprehensive approach.
As part of its commitment to move toward zero plastic waste, the GOC is proposing to develop a Pollution Prevention Planning (P2) Notice for plastic packaging that comes into direct contact with food, also referred to as primary food plastic packaging.
The P2 Notice would require Canada's largest grocery retailers to prepare and implement a pollution prevention plan to meet targets to reduce, reuse, and redesign primary food plastic packaging, including recycled content targets.
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Zero-emission bus procurement in Canada gets $396 million boost
Electric Autonomy
After a number of funding announcements, three transit authorities in British Columbia and Ontario will be moving ahead with their plans to explore or adopt zero-emission buses.
In the space of one week BC Transit, the City of Stratford Transit and the London Transit Commission all made announcements regarding their intentions to explore zero-emission bus procurement.
The federal government, for its part, has committed to contributing $14.9 billion over eight years into “clean public transit.” It also is aiming to have 5,000 zero-emission buses on the roads by 2026.
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Seven major automakers in joint venture to launch 30,000-charger network across North America
Electric Autonomy
Seven global auto manufacturers are joining forces to build a new “high-powered” electric vehicle charger network of at least 30,000 DC fast chargers across North America, starting next year.
BMW Group, General Motors, Honda, Hyundai, Kia, Mercedes-Benz Group and Stellantis say the joint venture’s goal is to accelerate the transition to EVs on the continent by expanding access to charging that is “convenient, accessible and reliable.”
The charging stations will be open to all EV owners and will offer both Combined Charging System (CCS) or North American Charging Standard (NACS) connectors.
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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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Flame Retardants in Tents in Canada | |
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Flame retardants are used in a variety of applications to help slow the spread of fire in potentially flammable materials, but a growing body of evidence has linked them to a wide range of adverse health effects for wildlife and humans.
The Government of Canada has proposed an update to its Tents Regulations which will impact the use of flame retardants in tents in Canada. The current public comment period on these changes (open until August 26th), provides an important opportunity to increase collaboration among those with an interest in the outcome and to come together to discuss and explore opportunities for providing informed input to this process.
Through Pollution Probe's #informedFRuse series, they hope to help fill gaps in understanding about what potential changes could mean, which will in turn enable all of us to participate more fully in discussions about how to minimize the impacts of flame retardants on human health and the environment.
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EVENTS, TRAINING AND WEBINARS | |
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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
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Food for Health Symposium
Join the 2023 Food for Health Symposium in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan from September 20th – 21th to reimagine how food in health care can improve health equity, climate action, and patient healing.
The 2023 Symposium features thought leadership from prominent Indigenous, Canadian, and international leaders and includes experiential workshops with practitioners leading innovation around food in health care.
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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. | | | | |
