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2022 Green Hospital Scorecard Awards Presentation
Join the Coalition and our sponsors on December 13th at 12pm ET as we recognize the outstanding achievements of this year's GHS participants by announcing the 2022 GHS award winners.
GHS participants had the opportunity to receive awards in any of the following Top Performer categories:
- Green Hospital of the Year
- Energy Efficiency
- Waste Management
- Water Excellence
- Pollution Prevention
- Leadership
We will welcome our sponsors Trane, Shift Energy, Roche, Ecotex, GE and Better Battery to present this year's award winners and runner-ups in each category.
**if you participated in the 2022 GHS but did not receive your scorecard, please email autumn@greenhealthcare.ca
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2023 Climate Action Award Winner
The Coalition is pleased to announce that we have been named a 2023 Health Care Climate Action Winner by Health Care Without Harm!
As a participant in the Health Care Climate Challenge, we are committed to reducing health care’s climate footprint, adapting to be resilient to the impacts of extreme weather and the shifting burden of disease, and educating staff and the public while promoting policies to protect public health from climate change.
This year we received recognition for the efforts and success of our institution and staff with the Climate Leadership Award.
We are honored to receive the award and to be a part of a global community of health care institutions on every continent leading the transformation to climate-smart health care.
Learn more about the awards and veiw the other winners HERE.
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Case Study: Ice Cream Tastes Better in a Trishaw | |
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The Coalition has released our second case study as part of our zero-emission awareness initiative which aims to increase public and industry awareness, knowledge and confidence in zero-emission vehicles (ZEV), particularly battery-powered micro-mobility (BPMM) solutions.
In this case study we profile Hillside Pines Home for Special Care and the Cycling Without Age Program, where they use battery-assist trishaws to reduce social isolation and increase both mental and physical health among seniors.
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Green Burials
Green burials, also known as natural burials, are a practice of carrying out a burial in a way that allows for natural decomposition and promotes sustainable land use. It removes the use of toxic chemicals used in embalming as well as the carbon monoxide and mercury emission associated with cremation.
The five principles of green burials are:
- No embalming
- Direct earth burial
- Ecological Restoration and Conservation: surface of the grave is allowed to settle and is restored with native plants
- Simple memorialization: simple, basic inscriptions on naturally sourced materials is preferred.
- Optimize land use: use of minimal/temporary infrastructure, re-use of graves
Learn more from Green Burial Canada and the Natural Burial Association.
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Reducing financial exposure to fossil fuels
Various analyses of investment portfolios have shown that screening out fossil fuel investments saw a neutral or even a positive impact on their returns.
For example, the Canadian Pensions Dashboard for Responsible Investing showed two years in a row (2023, 2022) that Canadian pension funds would have generated higher returns if they had divested from publicly traded oil and gas companies ten years ago.
A 2023 study from the University of Waterloo concluded that six U.S. pension funds, with a combined 3.4 million members, would be US$21 billion richer had they divested ten years earlier.
Do you know if your hospital foundation has screened out investments in fossil fuels?
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Taking action on planetary health | |
Digital Certificate Program | January 12 - April 5, 2024
The Taking Action on Planetary Health certificate program focuses on solutions that address the impacts of climate change on human health and ways we can improve the health of our communities as health professionals.
Working in teams, you will apply planetary health principles to a novel and practical planetary health intervention you can implement into clinical practice. You will join a community of health professionals committed to planetary health promotion and action.
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The Lancet Countdown on health and climate change: Policy brief for Canada
The Lancet
The need to reduce emissions has never been more urgent. This year, the Policy Brief for Canada draws on the latest evidence from the 2023 Report of the Lancet Countdown to discuss the urgent need for a transition towards renewable energy and health promoting, climate-smart strategies in the areas of wildfires and food systems.
Together with an urgent shift away from fossil fuels towards renewable energy, wildfire emergency management and sustainable food systems are key opportunities to improve health for all, now, and into the future.
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Operational framework for building climate resilient and low carbon health systems
World Health Organization
This document presents the World Health Organization Operational framework for building climate resilient and low carbon health systems. The framework’s goal is to increase the climate resilience of health systems to protect and improve the health of communities in an unstable and changing climate, while optimizing the use of resources and implementing strategies to reduce GHG emissions.
The document is a useful resource for decision-makers in health systems, including public health agencies, and other specialized institutions, and for decision-makers in health-determining sectors.
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Infection prevention, planetary health and single-use plastics
JAMA Network
The Minderoo-Monaco Commission on Plastics and Human Health recently highlighted how plastics have benefited society but are responsible for significant harms to environmental and human health.
For instance, 98% of plastics are derived from fossil carbon, contributing 3.7% of climate change–causing greenhouse gas emissions and similar fractions of toxic air emissions. Fossil carbon–based plastics do not biodegrade but rather break down into microparticles and nanoparticles that enter organisms through food chains and the hydrologic cycle.
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At risk: 10 ways the changing climate is creating a health emergency
Vancouver Sun
The lives of billions of people are being threatened by the climate crisis, experts from around the world warned in the annual Lancet Countdown report this week.
No one will escape the consequences of climate change, but people living in poorer countries are particularly vulnerable. This article shares 10 ways the climate crisis is affecting global health, including: floods and disease, severe weather events, air pollution, psychological effects and food insecurity.
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Health care providers utilizing social prescriptions for Toronto Zoo trips
City News
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Health care providers can now prescribe a trip to the Toronto Zoo as part of a new service that encourages locals to get out and enjoy nature to improve their mental health. So, the next time you visit the zoo in Morningside Heights might be because your doctor prescribed it.
Local social worker Vikas Keshri was one of the first providers to sign up for PaRx at ParkPrescriptions.ca, so he could offer it to his patients. “It’s an investment in the wellness of the people in the community. Part of mental health — the intervention — is being mindful in the present. It helps with anxiety, depression, PTSD, stress, burnout.”
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The State of Food and Agriculture | |
In the face of escalating global challenges – lack of food availability, food accessibility and food affordability due to the climate crisis, biodiversity loss, economic slowdowns and downturns, worsening poverty, and other overlapping crises – we find ourselves standing at a critical juncture.
The choices we make now, the priorities we set and the solutions we implement will determine the trajectory of our shared future. Consequently, the decisions we make about global agrifood systems must acknowledge these interrelated challenges.
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Ontario funding nearly 100 Indigenous Energy Support Programs across dozens of communities | |
The Ontario government is injecting an additional $5 million into its Indigenous Energy Support Programs. This brings the total investment for this year to $15 million for 93 projects in 58 communities.
The Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO) administers funding for the Indigenous Energy Support Programs. The programs promote Indigenous leadership within the electricity sector. The goals are to enhance the reliability, affordability and sustainability of Ontario’s grid and reduce electricity costs in Indigenous communities.
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Release of RETScreen® Version 9.1
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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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EVENTS, TRAINING AND WEBINARS | |
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The ATACH Day at COP28 is taking place on Monday, December 4th, 2023 at the COP28 Health Pavilion. The ATACH Day will run from 9:00 - 18:15 (Dubai GST), followed by closing remarks and a networking opportunity from 18:15 - 19:15 (Dubai GST) for those attending in person.
For those not attending in-person all sessions will be LIVE STREAMED on the COP28 Health Pavillion website HERE.
Further information on the ATACH Day and the latest up-to-date programme can be found in the ATACH Community of Practice HERE.
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EV Innovation & Technology Conference 2024
We are thrilled to announce that tickets are on sale for the highly anticipated return of the Electric Autonomy EV Innovation & Technology Conference on February 7, 2024.
Register before December 15, 2023, to take advantage of the special early bird rate of $349 (regularly $389). Tickets are limited and include breakfast, lunch, coffee breaks and the networking cocktail reception.
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EV & Charging Expo 2024
Electric Autonomy's EV & Charging Expo, taking place May 1 and 2, 2024 in Toronto, is designed to enable organiations to make informed decisions and take concrete actions to transition to zero-emissions transportation.
It is also a meeting place to forge new connections and partnerships to accelerate change across industry sectors.
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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. | | | | |
