|
|
Follow us on social media! | |
|
Advancing Awareness and Adoption of Battery-Powered Micro-Mobility in Health Care
Please join us for the third and final webinar in our ZEVAI project series, where we will provide the results from our recent health care survey and share interesting insights gathered from research, interviews, and data analysis.
Attendees will learn:
- Health care worker’s perspective of and experience with BPMM;
- Barriers to uptake of BPMM by health care workers and institutions;
- Health care worker understanding of BPMM solutions; and
- Recommendations for infrastructure development at health care facilities.
Date: March 28th, 2024
Time: 9:00am PT/12:00pm ET
| |
|
Meet the newest member of our Community of Sustainable Businesses in Health Care - Quantum Lifecycle Partners!
Quantum envisions a sustainable future in which reuse and recycling practices minimize the amount of e-waste entering landfills. They offer hassle-free solutions to simplify e-waste management and asset disposition for organisations of all sizes and industries.
Moreover, they help each company maximize the value of their end-of-life IT assets, going beyond compliance to deliver actual benefits to your business.
For more information on Quantum Lifecycle Partners check out their website HERE.
**If your for-profit organisation has made a serious corporate commitment to making health care more sustainable, reach out to autumn@greenhealthcare.ca
| |
|
User Profile: Using an E-Bike for a Fast and Efficient Winter Commute
Check out the latest user profile of our zero-emission vehicle awareness initiative.
Stéphane Ménard, a mental health worker, cuts his winter commute using an e-bike, traveling 60 km daily. Despite challenges like battery life in the cold, he saves time and money, but maintenance is crucial. He suggests better support, mechanics, and waterproofing for e-bikes.
| |
|
Fact Sheet: Designing Cities to Support Clean Transportation
Today's transportation landscape is evolving towards sustainability with zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs) and battery-powered micro-mobility (BPMM) devices like e-bikes gaining prominence.
This shift necessitates robust charging infrastructure across urban and rural areas, supported by collaborative efforts between public and private sectors. Moreover, embracing ZEVs and BPMM devices promises environmental, efficiency, equity, health, safety, and economic benefits, shaping a greener urban future.
| |
CAPE Careers - Senior Development Officer | |
|
Application Deadline: March 23rd, 2024
CAPE is seeking a senior development officer to grow their major gift program to meet their annual fundraising objectives.
The ideal candidate will be based in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) and will collaborate extensively with the executive director, operations director, donor relations manager, communications team, regional committees, and the board's development committee.
This position is critical for supporting CAPE in its commitment to fulfill its mission and campaign objectives.
| |
|
Green walking in mental health recovery
NHS Forest
| |
Green Walking in Mental Health Recovery is a project that aims to promote and improve access to green spaces for adult psychiatric inpatients. People with severe mental health conditions face impacts on their physical and mental health as well as discrimination.
As inpatients, their care may involve involuntary hospitalisations for extended periods, often under circumstances which limit their access to the natural world. Walking groups can be an achievable means for wards and hospitals to provide their inpatients with the benefits of spending time surrounded by nature.
| |
|
Launch of the Toolkit for Health Professionals on Communicating about Climate Change and Health
World Health Organization
Climate change presents one of the most significant global health challenges, already negatively affecting communities worldwide. Communicating the health risks of climate change and the health benefits of climate solutions is both necessary and helpful.
To support this, the World Health Organization (WHO) in collaboration with partners is launching a new toolkit designed to equip health and care workers with the knowledge and confidence to effectively communicate about climate change and health.
The toolkit provides comprehensive resources to help health professionals understand the health impacts of climate change, as well as health co-benefits of climate action, build confidence in communication, and engage with various stakeholders effectively.
| |
|
Microscopic plastics could raise risk of stroke and heart attack
The Guardian
Doctors have warned of potentially life-threatening effects from plastic pollution after finding a substantially raised risk of stroke, heart attack and earlier death in people whose blood vessels were contaminated with microscopic plastics.
Researchers in Naples examined fatty plaques removed from the blood vessels of patients with arterial disease and found that more than half had deposits contaminated with tiny particles of polyethylene or polyvinyl chloride (PVC).
Those whose plaques contained microplastics or nanoplastics were nearly five times more likely to suffer a stroke, heart attack or death from any cause over the following 34 months, compared with those whose plaques were free from plastic contamination.
| |
|
Building a climate resilient health system: Towards net-zero in Canada
HealthCareCAN
| |
The time to curb climate change is running out. But we’re not there yet. The health care system can establish itself as a leader in climate action. In fact, health organisations have made remarkable efforts to mitigate their carbon footprints.
This brief makes a significant case that if governments are serious about fighting climate change then actions must include the health care sector.
| |
Reducing financial exposure to fossil fuels | |
According to Divestment Database, which tracks global divestment initiatives, health care institutions only make up 1.1% of the sectors committed to divestment, and this 1.1% is primarily medical associations and colleges of physicians, an outlier being UNISON Cambridge Hospitals (based in the UK).
As fossil fuel production and use lead to poor air quality and exacerbate the impacts of climate change, it is time for the health care industry to support and protect the health of the communities they care for by shifting their investments away from fossil fuels.
| | |
|
Vancouver General Hospital pilots new menu for patient and planetary health
Vancouver CityNews
Patients at Vancouver General Hospital (VGH) had the opportunity to test out a new healthy menu. VGH has been offering patients a selection of “new delicious, nutritious and environmentally sustainable menu items” as part of Vancouver Coastal Health’s (VCH) pilot project, for the last six months.
Darcia Pope, VP of Strategy, Innovation, and Planetary Health at VCH says, this is part of their commitment to improving the patient experience and food.
VCH says the menu includes more than 20 new menu items to offer patients different options “incorporating patient preferences and ingredients with lower environmental impacts.”
| |
|
NYC Health + Hospitals Celebrates 1.2 Million Plant-Based Meals Served
NYC Health + Hospitals
In 2023, the first full calendar year of the program, NYC Health + Hospitals served over 783,000 plant-based meals to its patients.
Scientific research has shown that plant-based eating patterns are linked to significantly lower risk of cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, obesity, and certain cancers.
In addition to the considerable health benefits for patients, the plant-based meals served in 2023 led to a reduction in carbon emissions of 36% and a cost savings of 59 cents per meal. Patients who ate plant-based meals at NYC Health + Hospitals reported a satisfaction rate over 90%.
| |
|
Low-Carbon Transportation Policies Can Reduce Health Care Emissions and Benefit Local Communities
Georgetown Climate Center
| |
The Georgetown Climate Center recently released a new report, “Decarbonizing Health Care: Low-Carbon Transportation Policies Can Reduce Health Care Emissions and Benefit Local Communities,'' the second in their series on health care delivery organisations' role in climate action.
The paper delves into the crucial issue of transportation emissions in the health care sector and recommends that health care delivery organisations embrace policy solutions and take advantage of available programs to cut emissions and advance climate equity goals.
| |
Release of RETScreen® Version 9.1
| |
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.
|
|
EVENTS, TRAINING AND WEBINARS | |
|
Taking Inspiration from Denmark’s Example in Healthy, Sustainable Food Systems
Since 2004, a collaboration of countries known as the Nordic Cooperation, have been transforming their food system to be healthier for their populations and the environment, bringing to life the vision of the New Nordic Food Manifesto.
Nourish will be hosting a webinar on April 4, 2024 to showcase Danish food system innovation so you can hear from a municipal leader and a hospital executive chef on their work, challenges and vision for the future.
| |
|
Picking the low hanging fruit
Lighting retrofits, scheduling HVAC plant and equipment, and improved controls – these three items account for the majority of the energy and emissions reduction potential in hospitals.
On April 10th, 2024 join Greening Health Care and hear from their technical team presenting step by step guides from identifying measures and quantifying savings through to implementing improvements and verifying results.
Get your questions answered and leave with a clear understanding of what to do and how to get it done.
| |
|
Preconference Course, Thriving People & Flourishing Planet: Leadership in Action!
Date: March 23rd, 2024
Time: 8:30am-4:30pm ET
This course will apply the discipline of leadership to frame and address challenges pertaining to planetary health, social inequities, and declining health outcomes. Reviewing high-level, projected climate-related health care impacts, related costs and existing climate-health care initiatives will focus participants on urgent needs and opportunities.
Facilitated small group leadership discussions will follow to address climate crisis impacts.
Learn more and register HERE.
| |
|
EV & Charging Expo 2024
Transitioning to zero-emissions vehicles may be one of the biggest challenges that organisations will face in the coming years. Electric Autonomy’s EV & Charging Expo is the place to learn about and experience everything EV-related from installing charging infrastructure to fleet electrification, all under one roof.
Register for the event to meet and network with experts, vendors and industry peers.
Dates: May 1st-2nd, 2024
Location: Toronto, ON
Use promo code: CCGHC30 to receive a 30% discount off the Expo Pass. This discount is valid until March 31st, 2024.
Register HERE.
| |
|
Alberta Summit: Mobilizing Intersectoral Action on Climate Change and Health
Coalition members have been invited to the Alberta Summit: Mobilizing Intersectoral Action on Climate Change and Health on March 26, 2024.
The Summit features a panel discussion with leaders from municipal, provincial, and Indigenous levels of government to discuss approaches to addressing climate change and health intersections.
When: March 26th, 2024 1:30 - 6:30 pm MT
Where: In-Person event in Maple Leaf Room, Lister Hall, UofA, Edmonton, AB. OR join the livestream!
Register HERE.
| |
SAVE THE DATE! CHES 2024 National Conference - Sept. 8th-10th | |
The planning for the 2024 CHES National Chapter Conference & Trade Show in Halifax Nova Scotia is coming together and we want to see you there!
The theme for this year’s conference will be: "Enriching Patient Experiences by Optimizing the Environment"
Registration is coming out shortly. In the meantime, check out the promo video, and you will be inspired to attend.
| |
|
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 | |
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. | | | | |
