Intelligence is the ability to adapt to change- Stephen Hawking

OECD Environmental Performance Review: Canada 2017

The OECD’s third  Environmental Performance Review of Canada   says that although Canada has reached a stage where it can grow its economy without driving up energy use, air pollution and emissions, it remains the second most carbon-intensive OECD country and the fourth-biggest emitter of greenhouse gases. Rising emissions from transport and oil production mean that overall, Canada’s emissions have declined by just 1.5% since 2000 compared with an average decrease of 4.7% across the OECD area. Read the full report here .

Green Hospital Scorecard (GHS) The Green Hospital Scorecard (GHS) provides meaningful measures of hospital operations, management, and policy adoption in the energy and environment sphere, and benchmarks environmental performance for hospitals alongside de-identified peer data. The survey collecting data for 2016 is now open! Participation is FREE. Data submission is open until February 28th, 2018. For more information on the Green Hospital Scorecard follow this link . Here is a video of the educational webinar that overviews how to fill out the survey, along with key areas of interest. If your health care facility would like to participate in the GHS, please contact dan@greenhealthcare.ca .

Area hospitals get cash to reduce carbon footprint

Fifteen area hospitals will benefit from more than $7.4 million in provincial funding to become more energy efficient,” said Kate Fyfe, Interim CEO of the North East LHIN. The Hospital Energy Efficiency Program will help hospitals save energy and encourage the use of more renewable energy technologies.   Click here to read about specific hospital initiatives.

GreenCare releases Environmental Performance Accountability Report

The Environmental Performance Accountability Report was voluntarily compiled by the Lower Mainland Facility Management’s (LMFM’s) Energy & Environmental Sustainability Team on behalf of the B.C. Lower Mainland Health Care Organizations (LMHOs): Fraser Health, Providence Health Care, Provincial Health Services Authority and Vancouver Coastal Health.   This report is intended to provide a transparent reporting of the goals, targets and actions being taken by LMHOs to reduce their environmental footprint and create more sustainable and resilient health care operations and services across the Lower Mainland of B.C.   Click the above image to read the full report.

Inside the big revamp of Canada's Food Guide Seventy-five years after the country's official nutrition guide made its debut, Ottawa is hard at work on a new version, Ann Hui writes. Health Canada faces a tremendous task in their first update since 2007: Addressing concerns from experts who feel the document is dated, while calming the industries that will be affected most. Read the full article here .

Recycling programs in Ontario heading for slow overhaul

Municipalities in Ontario might be on the hook for recycling the holiday detritus in curbside bins this year, but that will change under new provincial rules to shift responsibility to industry.  Ontario's environmental commissioner Dianne Saxe just wishes the transition would happen faster than the seven years it's currently expected to take.  "'Polluter pay' is one of the founding principles of environmental law, and Ontario is actually the only place in Canada where the actual producers of packaging have paid so little," said Saxe, speaking on CBC Radio's Ottawa Morning. Read the full article here . 

#SuperSHIFTERS An Interview with Celia Laur - Improving nutritional care in Canadian hospitals  Nutrition is an important part of recovery in hospital, making it a patient safety issue. M2E was designed to work with hospitals to improve their nutrition care such as by adding a nutrition screening and assessment process so that those at risk are seen by a dietitian and receive appropriate nutrition care throughout their stay. To read more click here.

Safe haven in the storm:  Protecting lives and margins with climate-smart health care

In the wake of costly storms and wildfires in 2017, health care leaders can safeguard lives and their organization's financial viability by investing in climate resilience, according to a new paper published by Health Care Without Harm and PricewaterhouseCoopers Advisory Services LLC (PwC). Safe haven in the storm: Protecting lives and margins with climate smart health care   analyzes billions of dollars in losses and resilience-related savings to demonstrate how preparing for extreme weather can make or break a health system. See full report here. Click here to learn about how to become involved with the CCGHC's Climate Change Resiliency Mentoring Program.

Hospitals are scrambling to solve their air pollution issue: Single mid-size hospital contributes the same emissions as 1,200 cars

While no doctor would ever suggest performing, say, open heart surgery without anesthesia, many are taking steps to mitigate the effects of the drugs they use.... Click here to read the full article.

Health Care Without Harm lists top 10 highlights of 2017

When it comes to climate change and health in the news, 2017 has been one for the books. This year brought more than its fair share of trials. But more importantly, with each new obstacle, health care leaders stepped up to score major victories. Some of the top 10 highlights include: Over 10,000 hospitals committed to climate action The global health care system vowed to become mercury-free Hospitals saved lives and money by investing in climate resilience Hospitals changed the meaning of “hospital food” The full list can be found here .

EVENTS AND WEBINARS

Webinar  Effective Lobbying for Food System Transformation

Effective Lobbying for Food System Transformation Mon Feb 5, 2018, 1-2 pm Eastern Time 2017 was a busy year for food policy, and 2018 is shaping up to be even bigger! From the much anticipated A Food Policy for Canada, to the Canadian Agricultural Partnership, and Canada’s Food Guide and Healthy Eating Strategy, there will be multiple important opportunities to advocate for policies that create a more just, healthy and sustainable food system.  With all of these upcoming policies on the table, how can we best engage with the government and Members of Parliament to ensure our voices are heard? Join Food Secure Canada for a webinar featuring a current and former MP as they share their tips for effective lobbying. Speakers: Julie Dabrusin, Member of Parliament for Toronto-Danforth (2015-present), Chair of the Liberal Food Policy Caucus Libby Davies, former Member of Parliament for Vancouver East (1997 to 2015), House Leader for the New Democratic Party (NDP) from 2003 to 2011, and the Deputy Leader of the party from 2007 until 2015 Facilitator: Sasha McNicoll, Coalition for Healthy School Food Coordinator and Food Secure Canada Link to register

Webinar and Events

Is your facility interested in learning more about composting organic wastes? The Composting Council of Canada has a free webinar series and is offering workshops across Canada:   Ontario Feb 7th - Courtice ON Feb 8th - Whitby ON Atlantic Canada Halifax Feb 21st & 22nd, 2018 British Columbia New Westminster Feb 28th & March 1st, 2018 Alberta Lethbridge March 5th & 6th, 2018 Manitoba Brqndan March 13th and 14th 2018

GLOBE Forum 2018

Globe Forum March 14-16, 2018  Vancouver, British Columbia  GLOBE Forum is the longest-running sustainability conference in North America, bringing together 10,000 participants from over 50 countries. Leaders from business, government and civil society will share insights and solutions and enjoy unparalleled networking over the course of the event. Phone: 1 (604) 695- 5000 Email: info (@) globeseries.com https://www.globeseries.com/forum/ Register HERE

Canadian Conference on Physician Leadership

Canadian Conference on Physician Leadership April 20-21, 2018  JW Marriott PARQ Hotel, Vancouver, British Columbia The 2018   Canadian Conference on Physician Leadership , co-hosted by Joule and the   Canadian Society of Physician Leaders  (CSPL) is a must-do. Immerse yourself in our informative and inspiring conference to hear relevant keynote speakers and take away tools and techniques from a variety of interactive workshops (8 workshops run simultaneously both in the morning and afternoon over 2 days). Rub elbows and exchange ideas with your peers in the leadership community. Featured presentation session: First do no harm: how physicians can lead the green health movement to heal the planet  Presenter: Neil Ritchie, BSc., MHSA, Project Lead, Green Health Leader's Initiative, Canadian Coalition for Green Health Care, Halifax, N.S.   Register HERE

38th annual CHES Ontario Conference and Trade Show

CHES Ontario Conference and Trade Show Sunday, June 3, 20189:00 AM  Tuesday, June 5, 20181:30 PM Blue Mountain, Jozo Weider Boulevard The Blue Mountains, ON, L9Y Canada The theme of this conference is "Targeting Challenges" Creating an environment for efficient and effective delivery of health care Click here to access the 2018 CHES Ontario Conference and Trade Show website.

National Health Leadership Conference

National Health Leadership Conference June 4-5, 2018   St. John's, Newfoundland  This conference is the largest national gathering of health system decision-makers in Canada including trustees, chief executive officers, directors, managers, department heads and other health leaders representing various sectors and professions in health regions, authorities and alliances, hospitals, long-term care organizations, public health agencies, community care, mental health and social services. As well, the conference draws participants from government, education and research organizations, professional associations, consulting firms and industry.  Creating the winning conditions for change  Download the comprehensive brochure here Registration is now open! Future conference dates:  June 10-11, 2019 – Toronto, Ontario  June 15-16, 2020 – Edmonton, Alberta

CHES 2018 National Conference

CHES 2018 National Conference St. John's NL  September 16-18, 2018 St. John's Convention Centre Smarter Infrastructure for Enhanced Patient Outcomes We are seeking leaders from Canada and beyond to inspire, demonstrate, educate and share with CHES members the stories, tips, trials, methods and solutions to help us to improve patient outcomes with smarter infrastructure. Like other CHES National Conferences, our education program will also feature two tracks. Our goal is the delivery of an educational program that directly links to the theme of the conference. Registration is now open!  We look forward to seeing you in St. John’s

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.

Do you have any photos or stories to share with The Green Digest? Please send them to Dan at dan@greenhealthcare.ca