The Green Digest
A Canadian Coalition for Green Health Care Initiative
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RETScreen is a Clean Energy Management Software system for energy efficiency, renewable energy and co generation project feasibility analysis as well as ongoing energy performance analysis. Learn more
HERE
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Sustainable Transportation
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In the interests of public safety, and in consultation with our health care partners, we feel it necessary to cancel the Coalition's upcoming joint Plug'n Drive events scheduled for Toronto (March 26/27) and Halifax (March 31).
Please follow health agency guidelines to help keep us all safe. For more information on prevention tips, visit the Government of Canada's COVID-19 site
HERE
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NEW Leader Profile Just Released
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Physician loses patience with high price of gas, adopts ZEV technology
“Many hospitals in this country are in the dark ages when it comes to adoption of ZEV technologies," claims Dr. Pascal Gellrich, a
Nova Scotia-based physician who recently switched to an electric Chevy Bolt.
Gellrich believes the health services sector must do more to help accelerate the adoption of electric vehicle technology. Just the mere presence of ZEV charging stations in hospital locations can help raise awareness in the minds of the general public and sway public opinion in favour of electric over gasoline-powered vehicles. “People see the chargers, they get curious, and hopefully they get engaged,” he says.
Click
HERE
to read this newly-released Coalition Leader Profile.
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Before you install electric car chargers
Selecting the most appropriate EV charging hardware involves considering the workplace’s desired features, vendor equipment specifications and operating network. Workplaces have the option to fully own and operate the charging stations or out-source to a third-party owner and operator. You might be shocked at how many options there are. Learn more
HERE.
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Sustainable Transportation Webinar #2
Join us for the second in our series of FREE sustainable transportation webinars hosted in collaboration with
Plug'n Drive
.
Webinar #2
Workplace charging in a health care context
- key reasons to consider workplace charging - pluses and pitfalls
- health care context considerations
- case study (workplace charging install in hospital setting)
Date: Tuesday March 24, 2020
Time: 2:00 PM EST
Duration: 60 minutes
Presenter: Cara Clairman, President/CEO - Plug’n Drive
COST: FREE
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Electrifying transportation to mitigate climate change
The transportation sector is currently the second largest source of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in Canada. The number of vehicles on the road are expected to double by 2030 and the target to limit global temperature rise to below 2°C will change the transportation sector.
It is not enough to just improve the fuel efficiency standards of conventional internal combustion engines (ICEs). In addition, ICE tailpipe pollutants release harmful contaminants into the air and are responsible for a range of health risks, disproportionately affecting vulnerable groups such as children and the elderly.
Visit the
Plug'n Drive website to learn more about how electric vehicles can improve your life and the environment.
Learn more about the Coalition's ZEV project
HERE.
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What is a battery-electric vehicle?
Quite simply, a battery-electric vehicle uses electricity – and only electricity - to make the vehicle go. There are three main components: a zero-emission electric motor or motors; a battery or series of batteries (there are a number of different types and configurations); and a non-conventional transmission that transfers the motor’s power to the wheels. In fact, some battery-electric vehicles place their motors right at the wheel hubs! More
HERE
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What is a plug-in hybrid vehicle?
A
plug-in hybrid electric vehicle is essentially a regular hybrid vehicle with a larger battery pack that can be charged by plugging into the grid. The advantage of the plug-in hybrid electric vehicle is that it offers an extended all-electric range capability. Under the hood, there are three main components: an internal combustion engine; one or more zero-emission electric motors; and a battery or series of batteries which store and send out electricity. There is also a transmission that transfers the motors’ power to the wheels. More
HERE.
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We want your ZEV success stories
If your hospital or LTC home has adopted zero-emissions vehicle technologies, we want to hear your story. Possibly even profile you and brag about your successes. Please email us at
kent@greenhealthcare.ca
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Toronto General ranked as one of World's Best
Toronto General Hospital (TGH) is the best hospital in Canada and the fourth-best in the world, according to Newsweek’s newly released ranking of the
World’s Best Hospitals 2020
. TGH, part of University Health Network, is the only Canadian facility among the top 10 hospitals on the list, and has moved up three places from its number seven position in 2019, the first time the ranking was published. The list was compiled by Newsweek in partnership with Statista Inc., a global data research company, and is based on recommendations from medical professionals, results from patient surveys and key medical performance indicators. Click
HERE
to learn more about how Toronto General stacks up against the best of them.
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RETScreen energy management software well suited to assisting Canadian health care
RETScreen Expert is a comprehensive Clean Energy Management Software platform which enables energy and facility professionals and decision-makers to identify and assess the viability of potential energy efficiency, renewable energy and cogeneration projects; and to measure and verify the actual and ongoing energy performance of buildings, factories and power plants around the world.
This “Made-in-Canada” software is well suited to assisting Canada’s health care facility and energy managers to take a data-driven approach to managing the energy in their facilities. From benchmarking, to consumption tracking, energy audits and more, RETScreen provides a solution for health care energy professionals to take control of their facility portfolio.
Click
HERE to learn how Hamilton's
St. Joseph’s Healthcare embraced RETScreen with calculated results.
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Experts seek to swap 'pitiful' hospital food for fresh, healthy alternatives
Wild salmon with lemon dill sauce, blueberry soup and bone broth may be high-end restaurant meals but they’re also on the menu at some Canadian hospitals aiming to meet recovering patients’ nutritional and cultural needs.
The recipes are among dozens that have been developed by 26 people, including food-service managers, chefs and dieticians who were offered two-year fellowships at hospitals from British Columbia to Newfoundland and Labrador as part of a campaign called Nourish Health. More
HERE
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Risks from microplastic pollution
Tiny bits of broken-down plastic smaller than a fraction of a grain of rice are turning up everywhere in oceans, from the water to the guts of fish and the poop of sea otters and giant killer whales. Yet little is known about the effects of these “microplastics”—on sea creatures or humans. And keep in mind we humans are at the top of the food chain. How are we being impacted? Read more
HERE.
Click
HERE to learn more about the Plastic Action Centre.
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Deadline Reminder...
The Green Hospital Scorecard (GHS) program is in it's seventh year and we remind all hospitals the deadline for participation is March 30th, 2020.
The Scorecard provides meaningful measures of hospital operations, management, and policy adoption in the energy and environment sphere. It benchmarks environmental performance for hospitals alongside de-identified peer data and is an excellent way for hospitals to demonstrate commitment to environmental sustainability.
This year, data is being collected for January to December 2018 on environmental performance in 10 categories: Energy, Water, Waste, Pollution Prevention, and Corporate Leadership, along with the addition of Transportation, Food, Climate Change and Energy Behaviour.
Participation in the GHS for hospitals is
free
. To help cover program delivery costs we encourage all participants to become members of the Coalition. Information on becoming a member with the Coalition can be found
here
or contact
dan@greenhealthcare.ca
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A BIG
thank you to
www.SaveOnEnergy.ca
for their continued financial support for the Ontario Green Health Care Award and the Ontario Energy Behaviour Award
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Healing patients and the planet with cost-saving anaesthetic adjustment
When Virginia Mason’s anesthesia technician Randy Johnson and staff anesthesiologist Dr. Ryan Pong learned that desflurane had a global warming potential 20 times greater than its alternative gases, they decided to work together on persuading their colleagues to reduce the use desflurane in favour of its alternatives. Through casual but persistent conversations over a five-year period, the duo ultimately convinced every member of their department that other gasses could work without harming patient care. Their success culminated in September 2019 when Virginia Mason Medical Center completely eliminated desflurane use. More
HERE
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OR nurses find new kinder use for blue wrap
University of Chicago Health staff went above and beyond when they tackled the ever-growing pile of blue wrap coming out of their surgery department. Challenged with luke-warm recycling markets, group of OR nurses and the OR associate director came up with an innovative idea that both reduces waste and helps their community. The end result - blue wrap sleeping mats for homeless individuals. More
HERE.
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Climate Change Resources
The Canadian Coalition for Green Health Care has the resources you need to help your facility take action on climate change. Learn more
HERE
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CHES 2020 Awards - Call for Nominations & Grant Submissions
Deadline for Submissions: April 30, 2020
CHES is seeking nominations for the 2020 Awards. Members are reminded to nominate a deserving member or facility for one of these prestigious awards today!
Wayne McLellan
Award of Excellenc
e in Healthcare Facilities Management
CHES is also seeking booth sponsors and candidates for the 2020 Young Professionals Grant. The application forms for Sponsors and Candidates are available on the
CHES Website
.
Prix 2020 de la SCISS – Appels à mises en candidature et demandes de subvention
Date limite des soumissions : 30 avril 2020
a SCISS est à la recherche de candidatures pour ses Prix 2019. Il est rappelé aux membres qu’ils peuvent dès aujourd’hui proposer la candidature d’un membre méritant ou d’un établissement performant pour l’un de ces prix prestigieux !
Prix Hans Burgers
pour contribution exceptionnelle à l’ingénierie des services de santé
/ La SCISS est également à la recherche de commanditaires et de candidats concernant la dotation 2019 pour jeunes professionnels. Les formulaires de candidatures pour commanditaires et candidats sont mis à disposition sur le site Internet de la SCISS.
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CHES Ontario Conference
Engineering Sustainable Healthcare Facilities
May31-June2, 2020
Caesars Windsor
Join colleagues from across Ontario at the 40th annual CHES Ontario Trade Show and Conference.
Learn from some of Canada's brightest facility and engineering minds at this year's two-day educational event. Details
HERE
. Register
NOW
!
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CHES 2020 National Conference
September 20-22, 2020
Halifax Convention Centre
Halifax, NS
Enriching Patient Experiences by Optimizing the Environment
We encourage you to submit your contract to exhibit as soon as possible to ensure space is available.
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Remember to ask about being placed in the CHES National Conference
Green Park where participating vendors have goods and services with a clear environ
mental advantage to Canada's health service sector.
See you in Halifax!
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CHES 2020 Webinar Series
The 2020 CHES Webinar Dates and Topics are listed below.
Wednesday March 25, 2020
- Isolation Room Design
Speakers: Jessica Fullerton, B. Sc. M. Sc., CIC; Nick Stark, P. Eng., CED, LEED AP, ICD.D
Wednesday April 15, 2020
- Commissioning in a Health Care Facility
Speaker: Wayne Stokes, CET Arch, FMA, RPA.
Wednesday May 20, 2020
- An Overview of Smoke / Fire Doors and the 2015 NBC
Speaker: Ben Coles, M.Sc.E., MBA, P. Eng., PE
Wednesday June 17, 2020
- Optimizing Design with Virtual and MIxed Reality (AR/VR)
Speaker: Daniel Doherty, BTech, C.E.T., CM BIM
Wednesday October 21, 2020
- CSA Z317.13-17 Role of the Multi-Disciplinary Team - Pros and Cons
Speaker: Wayne Stokes, CET arch, FMA, RPA
Wednesday November 18, 2020 -
Awareness / Update on Med Gas Qualified Operators
Speaker: Roger Holliss
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Organ Donation - The Ultimate Recycling
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. Or visit the
Government of Canada
website to register and donate.
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Click
HERE
to learn how RETScreen Expert software can help your organisation quickly analyze cost savings, feasibility and emissions reductions.
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If you have inspirational greening stories or photos to share with Green Digest readers, please send them to Kent at
kent@greenhealthcare.ca
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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
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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.
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