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WEBINAR - How Canadian Nurses are Advancing Planetary Health: From the Local Stage to the International Arena
Join the Coalition, PEACH, CANE, and Ontario Nurses for the Environment in celebrating nurses’ week by engaging with several nursing leaders who are actively advancing planetary health. From international action all the way to local advocacy, we are bringing together four incredible nurses who are working hard to protect the health of both people and the planet.
Date: May 8th, 2024
Time: 9:00am PT/12:00pm ET
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A REACHRheum and Canadian Coalition for Green Health Care Webinar - Safeguarding Our Planet, One Health Facility at a Time
Join REACHRheum and the Canadian Coalition for Green Health Care as we welcome Dr. Myles Sergeant and Dr. Owen Dan Luo to discuss climate actions you can take at your hospital and clinic. Don't miss this opportunity to learn from experts in the field and discover practical solutions for a greener future! Climate action is the best remedy for climate anxiety!
Date: June 7th, 2024
Time: 8:00am PT/ 11:00am ET
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The landscape for climate action has changed significantly since The Coalition's inception in 2001. There are now an abundance of practical and well-researched tools available for addressing climate change within the health care sector. This invites both a challenge and an opportunity to implement these tools!
We have created The Green Pages directory, which lists many Canadian resources focused on climate change and sustainable practices within health care. Our team hopes you can find the information necessary to enact change in your health facility.
The technical and design components of the Green Pages were completed by McMaster Software Engineering Technology 4th year co-op students Hadya Adnan, Arsenii Sosnovskyi, Nehaal Shaikh and their professor, Dr. Seshasai Srinivasan. Thank you for bringing your skills to this project!
Also, thank you to Joshua Dworsky-Fried (McMaster Medical School Class of 2025) for compiling the list of guidebooks.
If we missed your guidebook, please email autumn@greenhealthcare.ca and we will add it to the Green Pages database.
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Call for proposals: The Roster of Climate and Infrastructure Experts | |
Infrastructure Canada (INFC) is implementing a new climate initiative to help municipalities across Canada build low-carbon resilient housing and infrastructure. This work is funded through the National Adaptation Strategy (NAS) and the Government of Canada Adaptation Action Plan and in support of the 2030 Emissions Reduction Plan.
The climate initiative will provide a suite of integrated climate-related supports for municipalities. Components include a web-based climate and infrastructure platform; assistance from INFC staff; and a roster of pre-qualified, independent climate and infrastructure experts who will directly support municipalities in strengthening the climate-related considerations of their infrastructure projects.
The application deadline is June 10, 2024 at 11:59 p.m. PDT.
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UBC Study: The Landscape of Green Teams | |
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UBC Post-Doctoral Fellow, Maya Kalogirou, and Dr. Jennifer Baumbusch invite members of green teams/sustainability offices to participate in their study examining the landscape of green teams and sustainability offices associated with Canadian
hospitals. There are two components to this study:
Part 1: A 30 minute survey which will ask you questions about yourself and the work you do with your green team/sustainability office. At the end of the survey, you will be asked if you wish to participate in Part 2 of this study, which entails a one-on-one 60-minute interview.
Part 2: Participation in the survey does not automatically mean you are consenting to participate in an interview. You can participate in the online survey without participating in an interview if you so choose. If you agree to be interviewed, we will contact you and set up a time that is mutually acceptable. During your interview, we will ask more detailed questions about the work you do, how your work is supported by hospital management/leadership, and more. Please know, all the information you provide, both personal and study-related, is kept completely
confidential.
If you are interested in participating in this study, or perhaps you would like more information about it, contact Maya at maya.kalogirou@ubc.ca
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CASCADES - Environmentally Sustainable Kidney Care Workshop
Dates: June 4th and 11th
Time: 1pm-3pm PT/ 4pm-6pm ET
There are many upstream and downstream interventions that can reduce the environmental impact of kidney care while maintaining or even improving quality of care.
Registration is now open for the Environmentally Sustainable Kidney Care Workshop, hosted in partnership with the Canadian Society of Nephrology Sustainable Nephrology Action Planning (SNAP) Committee. Over two highly interactive sessions, participants in this workshop will gain and share knowledge, develop skills, and forge collaborations that will help them advocate for and participate in a bottom-up and top-down shift toward more environmentally sustainable kidney care (ESKC).
Participants will hear from care providers and administrators on the front lines of sustainability efforts and will workshop sustainability project ideas for their own settings.
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CASCADES - Climate Conscious Inhalers Prescribing Course
Dates: May 3rd, 10th and 17th
Time: 9-11am PT/12pm-2pm ET
The emissions associated with the most widely prescribed metered-dose inhalers can be minimized in ways that go hand-in-hand with improving patient care and outcomes.
The three-part Climate Conscious Inhalers Prescribing course is designed to:
- Provide an overview of the environmental impacts of inhalers
- Explore opportunities and ongoing efforts to enhance sustainability of inhaler prescribing, dispensing, use and disposal while maintaining high-quality care
- Familiarize participants with a range of resources
- Troubleshoot challenges to implement change
- Develop an action plan for implementing one or more change ideas
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Transforming health care’s supply chain with a climate excellence standard
Health Care Without Harm
With growing interest in reducing emissions in the global supply chain and accelerating momentum to decarbonize the health sector, Health Care Without Harm and its U.S. Health Care Climate Council developed a new Climate Excellence Standard for Health Sector Suppliers.
The standard defines superior performance in decarbonization on the part of individual suppliers to ensure the health care supply chain is aligned with achieving robust near-term GHG emissions reduction in alignment with net-zero emissions by 2050. The standard was created with input and direction from Health Care Without Harm’s Health Care Climate Council.
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Climate change and sustainability: How individuals and the health care sector can help
McMaster University
Unseasonably mild winters. Forest fires and smoke. More reports of catastrophic storms. If it feels like we’ve experienced increasingly extreme weather changes in the past few years, it’s because we have. Climate change is a reality we’re reckoning with – and the intersection between environmental issues and health is one that can’t be ignored.
McMaster University's Faculty of Health Sciences spoke with The Coalition's Executive Director Dr. Myles Sergeant about the dangers of climate change, the power individuals and the health care sector have to make more sustainable choices, and why he says he hasn’t lost hope to save our “frail planet.”
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The Government of Canada requires producers to take more responsibility for the plastic they put on the market
Environment and Climate Change Canada
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Canadians want to see concrete action from governments and plastic producers to step up to tackle plastic pollution. This means improving how plastics are made, used and managed, cutting plastic waste, building green economic opportunities, and sending a clear signal to governments and businesses so they can spur innovation, drive policy, and signal areas of investment.
That is why on April 22nd, 2024, coinciding with Earth Day under the theme Planet vs. Plastics, the Government of Canada announced the new Federal Plastics Registry, a tool to compel plastic producers and other companies across the plastics value chain to help monitor and track plastic from the time it is produced up to its end of life. By better tracking plastic through its full life cycle, both governments and industry will be better equipped to address plastic waste and pollution through increased transparency and sound, robust, evidence-based decision-making.
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Harnessing the healing power of food in Canadian health care
Vancouver Sun
Responding to climate change mitigation and adaptation with bold courage is imperative for safeguarding planetary health and the future of generations to come. The health care sector has a tremendous opportunity to align with its core tenet of “do no harm” by taking bold climate leadership and addressing its current footprint.
A growing number of health care providers are realizing the under-utilized solution of food as medicine. Food powerfully intersects human and planetary health, making clear that nature and humans can only thrive together. The EAT-Lancet report identifies that our current food system operates beyond our planetary boundaries, and food is the single most powerful lever for returning to balance. Shifting away from intensively farmed meat and dairy to create menus where plant-based proteins and local, fresh ingredients take the spotlight will not only cut emissions but also improve patient healing.
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We need to talk about meat
Corporate Knights
Scientists have been sounding the alarm that we need to do more and quickly to help curtail global warming’s catastrophic impacts, pointing out that coal, cars and cattle are top greenhouse gas emitters. The good news is that growth in clean energy was twice that of fossil fuels from 2019 to 2023, and global sales of electric cars surged 31% in 2023 from the year prior. But the world keeps eating more meat, with forecasts estimating that we’ll be consuming 50% more by 2050.
And that’s a problem that wealthy nations in particular need to get a handle on, according to the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization. A 2020 study conducted by the University of Michigan found that if Americans cut their meat consumption in half by 2030 and shifted to more plant-based alternatives, the country would cut the equivalent annual emissions to taking 47.5 million cars off the road.
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New St.Pauls Hospital: Leading the way in more sustainable health care
The Daily Scan
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The new St. Paul’s Hospital will be a game-changer in B.C, enhancing the way health care is delivered while also addressing the challenges posed by climate change. When the hospital opens in 2027, it will be a LEED-certified building, recognized for its commitment to green building standards.
But the hospital’s sustainability efforts extend far beyond certification requirements, surpassing even the stringent benchmarks set by the City of Vancouver for sustainable site design, access to nature, green mobility, zero-waste planning, and low-carbon energy use.
“We aimed not just for compliance, but for true leadership in green and resilient design,” says Molly Leathem, project manager with the New St. Paul’s Hospital Project Team.
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The Liberal government’s budget 2024 is throwing billions of dollars at the transition to zero-emission transportation and power generation.
Spending commitments in the $480.5-billion document include $607 million for zero-emission vehicle purchase rebates, a 10-per-cent tax credit to support electric vehicle supply chain investment and a 15-per-cent tax credit to boost investment in low-emitting electricity generation systems.
More broadly, the government is using tax credits to spearhead its support for a broad range of clean-economy initiatives.
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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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GreenCare Lunch & Learn - Healthy Planet, Healthy People: Climate and ecological action for health care workers
Date: April 30th, 2024
Time: 12pm PT/2pm ET
News outlets revealed a year with temperatures surpassing 1.5 degrees above pre-industrial levels, signaling major ecosystem threats and health risks. Despite global commitments, systemic interventions are crucial.
Moderated by Dr. Ingrid Tyler, Chief Medical Health Officer for Fraser Health, this panel will discuss impactful policies, commitments and engagement campaigns from leading associations such as the Canadian Nurses for the Environment, Canadian Physicians for the Environment, Canadian Medical Association and Doctors for Planetary Health that support an equitable and sustainable future for all. They'll also highlight opportunities for health care workers to engage, emphasizing learning and involvement at any stage of their journey.
Register HERE.
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Is There Such a Thing as “Better” Meat? It’s Complicated
Date: April 30th, 2024
Time: 7am PT/10am ET
Animal agriculture profoundly affects climate, water usage, health, and animal welfare. Cutting meat and dairy consumption, particularly in high-consuming regions, is crucial for meeting global climate objectives. However, meat remains a staple for many. Food providers are exploring ways to source "better" meat, referring to products with superior environmental, social, ethical, or economic attributes, including those from alternative agricultural systems like organic or grass-fed.
New analysis by WRI reveals no one-size-fits-all solution. Surprisingly, options like organic and grass-fed meat, while offering benefits such as improved animal welfare and reduced antibiotic use, often have higher GHG emissions and environmental impacts than conventionally produced meat.
Join WRI virtually for an in-depth exploration of this research.
Register HERE.
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Choosing Wisely Talks | Introducing Choosing Wisely Canada’s Climate-Conscious Recommendations
Date: May 15th, 2024
Time: 9am PT/12pm ET
Every test, treatment, and procedure contributes to material waste and carbon emissions. By reducing unnecessary testing or treatments, clinicians can make a positive contribution towards the health of patients and the planet.
Join Choosing Wisely Talks for the launch of over 40 new Choosing Wisely Canada climate-conscious recommendations.
Developed by national clinician societies and associations spanning over 20 specialties, these recommendations offer practical ways to stop or reduce routine practices that harm the environment without compromising patient care.
Register HERE.
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2024 Plant-Based Nutrition and Lifestyle Conference
Date: May 25th, 2024
Plant-Based Canada is pleased to announce their 5th Canadian Plant-Based Nutrition and Lifestyle Medicine Conference, this year in collaboration with the Canadian Lifestyle Medicine Advocacy Group of the American College of Lifestyle Medicine to be held on May 25th 2024. You can attend in person in Toronto or virtually.
It is a fabulous line up of Canadian Lifestyle Medicine practitioners! Come and support the Lifestyle Medicine movement, learn, network, get energized by likeminded people, and eat delicious plant-based food!
Register HERE.
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CHHA 11th Annual Conference and Trade Show
Date: June 4th to 6th, 2024
Sneak Peek Sessions-More information to Follow Soon…..
New health care construction and the issues for the ICP
Jim Gauthier, MLT, CIC-Infection Control Consultant
Construction within health care can take up many hours in an IP’s day. This presentation reviews renovations and construction within an existing health care facility, and factors that are involved in new hospital construction.
Deadline to Register is May 1st, 2024
Register HERE.
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2024 CoPEH-Canada hybrid, multi-site course and webinar series on ecosystem approaches to health
Dates: May 9th to June 4th, 2024
This 8-part, interactive webinar series is designed in collaboration with several Canadian universities. Certain activities will revolve around the theme of Climate Health Equity and Reciprocity.
A graduate-level, field course on ecosystem approaches to health will also be held at four sites in May-June: Montréal (UQAM), Guelph (University of Guelph), Burnaby and Cortes Island (SFU) and Prince George (UNBC).
Register HERE.
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Registration is Now Open! CHES 2024 National Conference - Sept. 8th-10th | |
The 2024 CHES National Chapter Conference & Trade Show will be held in Halifax Nova Scotia on September 8th-1oth.
The theme for this year’s conference is: "Enriching Patient Experiences by Optimizing the Environment"
Registration is now open!
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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. | | | | |
