January 11th, 2023

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COALITION SPOTLIGHT

Media Release: Towards a Safe, Secure and Sustainable Reusable PPE System in Canadian Health Care

On December 21st, 2023 the Coalition disseminated a media release representing the culmination of our project, entitled ‘A circular economy model for hospital-generated PPE and medical single-use plastic waste: Demonstrating opportunities for reduction and reuse’, funded by Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC).

Through the project reusable, safe and Infection Prevention and Control Canada- (IPAC) approved PPE gowns were identified as the greatest opportunity to reduce  greenhouse gas (GHGs) emissions. Given a broad adoption of reusable gowns in Canada, medical glove use generated the most significant waste quantities.

Learn more about the project and read a quote from the honourable Honourable Steven Guilbeault, Minister for the Environment and Climate Change HERE.

Join Canada's Green Health Care Movement

The Coalition invites you to become a member of Canada's largest green health organisation for the 2024 calendar year!

By becoming a member of the Coalition you will have:

• Access to educational zoom events where members come together to share and discuss particular themes related to green health care.
• The opportunity to lead and host pilot projects and new green initiatives and be recognized nationally for your achievements.
• The ability to vote on key operational decisions at the annual general meeting and be considered for positions on our Board of Directors.

User Profile: Making life easier, more enjoyable and efficient with an e-bike

Catherine Payne, a Pharmacy Operations Supervisor at Ontario’s Woodstock Hospital, recently became a proud e-bike enthusiast. Both she and her husband purchased their e-bikes in September 2022 from Rad Power Bikes of Vancouver, BC with hers being a Rad Power 6 model affectionately named ‘Swanee.’

Since being purchased in 2022, Payne has been using her e-bike as a reliable form of transit to commute to and from work as well as travel for leisure activities, such as a quick trip to the store or across town to visit her mother.

WEBINAR: Opportunities for Battery-Powered Micro-Mobility in Health Care

Join us as we welcome champions from the Yukon Home Care Program and Hillside Home for Special Care (Nova Scotia), to introduce their successful e-bike initiatives and share how battery-power micro-mobility devices have aided health care delivery.

We will also welcome Jane Hu from Cycling Without Age Canada to share their story and detail how other organiations can get involved in the program.

The webinar will be recorded and sent to all registrants as well as be available on our website and YouTube channel.

UPCOMING OPPORTUNITIES

Call for Submissions - CHES Journal

The Spring 2024 issue of CHES's journal, Canadian Healthcare Facilities (CHF), is currently seeking article submissions related to the following topics: Technology & Innovation; Infection Prevention & Control; and Health & Safety.

If you are interested in submitting an article, please contact the journal's Editor, Clare Tattersall, at [email protected] with the proposed topic.

All topics must be pre-approved by the Editor prior to article submission. The deadline for final article submissions is Monday January 29th.

CLIMATE ACTION

Update - Announcing the Planetary Health Advocacy "Living" Tool

Dahdaleh Institute for Global Health Research

As part of Carol Devine's work as Community Scholar at the Dahdaleh Institute for Global Health Research, she worked with Dahdaleh Research Assistant Yasmin Al-Sahili on a Planetary Health Advocacy literature review and created a Planetary Health Advocacy "Living" Tool.

This project was funded by the 2020 Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) 2020 Connections Grant.

This living tool for Planetary Health advocacy aims to foster dialogue, and support action to help safeguard human and other species, ecosystem health and well-being, and advocacy for climate action, systemic change, and justice.

A Global Review of research on effective advocacy and communication strategies at the intersection of climate change and health

Center for Climate Change Communications

In this review, authors summarize research on the understanding of the health impacts of climate change among the public, health professionals, and public officials, outline effective strategies to communicate these impacts and future risks, and advocate for solutions to reduce these risks.

The primary objective of this literature review is to leverage existing research to identify practical recommendations for effectively communicating the health risks linked to climate change and the health benefits of climate solutions. They also identify potential avenues for further investigation in this important field.

CIRCULAR ECONOMY

Textiles in Hospitals & LTCs: A Federal Study

Canadian Circular Textiles Consortium

The Canadian Circular Textiles Consortium (CCTC) unites stakeholders from across the textiles value chain to enable a circular textiles system that optimizes resource use, eliminates waste and advances the transition to a circular economy.

One of the current projects, funded by Environment & Climate Change Canada, is to understand the textiles used by hotels, hospitals, prisons and restaurants. This research will look at the volume of waste materials, the fibre composition of these materials and who/how they are being managed at end of life.  The goal is to also find solutions for this waste material through various recycling processes to create an end product that has value.

They have created a short survey for the various sectors, to be completed by either those working in the procurement of textile products, or the head of laundry services.

The Government of Canada is seeking feedback on developing a federal plastics registry to help tackle plastic pollution

Government of Canada

On December 30, 2023, the Minister of Environment and Climate Change, the Honourable Steven Guilbeault, launched a consultation on the creation of the Federal Plastics Registry, which will be used as a tool to monitor and track plastic from the time it is produced to its end of life.

The Registry would require producers to report annually on the quantity and types of plastic they place on the Canadian market, how that plastic moves through the economy, and how it is managed at end of life. The Government would use this information to measure progress toward zero plastic waste and inform actions to accelerate the transition to a circular economy.

This consultation is open to Canadians and all interested parties until February 13, 2024.

FOOD SYSTEMS

Transforming patient experience and reducing food waste through room service

Nourish

Pediatric hospital CHU Sainte-Justine is celebrated in Quebec and across Canada for its innovative approach to food services. Ever since they launched their room service program, Délipapilles!, in 2016, hospital staff have seen remarkable gains in patient satisfaction and decreases in food waste.

Now, they have turned their attention to making their food services more climate-friendly by procuring and serving more local and sustainable menu items. Read this practice study to learn how CHU Sainte-Justine, under the guidance of Manager of Food Services Josée Lavoie, continues to transform its food services for the health and well-being of patients and the planet. 

Release of RETScreen^® Version 9.1

EVENTS, TRAINING AND WEBINARS

CHES 2024 Webinar Series

Dates and Topics:

• February 14, 2024 - Ductwork Leakage - Effects and Efficiency Opportunities
• March 20, 2024 - Using Artificial Intelligence (AI) to Harness Free Energy to Optimize Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) Efficiency
• April 17, 2024 - Beyond Directions: Designing Effective Wayfinding Systems for User Experience
• May 15, 2024 - Climate Change and Mould in Your Healthcare Facility
• June 26, 2024 - Retrofit for Sustainability
• October 2, 2024 - Major changes in the 2022 edition of the Infection Control during Construction, Renovation and Maintenance in Health Care Facilities Standard
• October 30, 2024 - Applying the Z317.13:22 Standard to Renovation Projects
• November 27, 2024 - Applying Infection Prevention and Control Practices for Hospital Maintenance Workers

Planetary Health in Clinical Practice - A Virtual Conference

The virtual conference features eight subject-matter speakers from across the country, including keynote speaker Dr. James McCormack, who will deliver a talk titled Making a Shared-decision the Primary Outcome for Most Primary Care Interactions.

Date: January 26th, 2024

Time: 11:30 am - 7:30 pm PST

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.

Net Zero Planning with RETScreen Expert

Join the “Net Zero Planning with RETScreen Expert” webinar for a walkthrough of the new Net Zero Planning features now available with Version 9.1 of the RETScreen Clean Energy Management Software.

In this webinar, you will learn about the Portfolio Decarbonization Framework and understand how RETScreen’s Virtual Energy Analyzer leverages the Facility-level Deep Retrofit Archetypes for deep greenhouse gas reductions.

Presenters will then demonstrate the state-of-the-art Portfolio-wide Net Zero Planning Tool, designed to guide you in building a Net Zero Plan quickly and easily.

Register HERE.

APIC & IFIC Webinar - Environmental Sustainability

In this presentation Jon Otter, Director of Infection Prevention and Control, will examine sustainability from an IPC specialist’s perspective, including why IPC and sustainability don’t always get on.

He will explain the processes by which IPC teams can look for “win-wins” that satisfy both priorities and will provide some change ideas to get IPC practitioners thinking about what can be done at the local level to get teams started on this important journey.

Date: February 4th, 2024

Time: 10:00 am EST

Register HERE.

Making the circular economy the standard

Standards can have an essential role in transitioning to a circular economy. However, there is a role your organisation or government can play in the process. On the heels of COP28, in this webinar Circular Innovation Council brings together a panel of experts from CSA Group to discuss the intersection of standards with the built environment, plastics recycling and reuse, agriculture, food loss and waste, and more.

Learn more about what’s to come in the world of standardization as it relates to the Circular Economy in Canada and how you can be involved.

Date: January 30th, 2024

Time: 10:00 am PST

Register HERE.

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.

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