“Cooperation is the thorough conviction that nobody can get there unless everybody gets there.”- Virginia Burden
The Coalition welcomes three summer students
The Coalition is welcoming the addition of three summer students. These enthusiastic young ladies will focus their efforts on researching the effects of climate change on facility operation and greening Canada’s operating rooms .



Claire Barker-Sharp - Claire is currently taking an Honours in Urban Planning within the faculty of Environment at the University of Waterloo. She is set to receive her Bachelor’s of Environmental Studies in 2022, and aspires to specialize in environmental planning and management. As a researcher at CCGHC, Claire will apply her passion for urbanism and the environment by assisting in numerous projects concerning climate change resiliency within various levels of health care service.

Linxi Mytkoll- Linxi is currently pursuing her MSc. in Sustainability Management at the University of Toronto after completing her BSc. in Biopharmaceutical Sciences at the University of Ottawa. As a research student for the CCGHC, Linxi is excited to support the health care sector's transition to a greener future. She will be applying her passion for wellness and dedication to sustainability by researching current best practices and trends for greening the OR initiatives. 

Zoe West- Zoe is a Wilfrid Laurier alumna with a BSc. in Health Sciences and International Policy and is currently pursuing her Masters degree in Health: Science, Technology and Policy at Carleton University. As a new researcher within the CCGHC, she will be assisting on projects regarding sustainability of hospitals to promote climate resiliency for health care facilities. Zoe will be based out of Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario (CHEO) working with Dr. Curtis Lavoie.
Call for Earth Day events
The Canadian Coalition for Green Health Care is looking for your examples of Earth Day events. On the Coalition's website we will highlight initiatives hosted by facilities. If you have any past or future Earth Day events, email them to dan@greenhealthcare.ca .
Coalition congratulates Climate Change Mentoring candidates
The Coalition is proud to heap praise on the 24 participants who have just completed our second Climate Change Resiliency Mentoring Program. With funding from the Ontario Trillium Foundation, and working collaboratively with co-mentors Ed Rubinstein and Stewart Dankner from Toronto’s University Health Network, the Coalition’s team has been able to mentor a total of 34 Canadian green health care champions from 21 different local and regional health care organisations and authorities from British Columbia, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec and New Brunswick. Graduates are now better equipped to help guide their respective organisations as they embrace the impacts of climate change and prepare strategies to ensure hospitals are online and delivering services when needed most. For more details visit:  http://greenhealthcare.ca/mentoring
Ontario Green Health Care Awards announcement
The Green Hospital Scorecard has completed it's 5th year of operation. Congratulation to all the 110 sites that submitted data and received scorecards for the 2017 instalment.

The Ontario Green Health Care Awards are taking place via webinar on June 22nd, 2018. Awards will include top performers in energy, waste, water and green hospital of the year.

Click here to register for the upcoming free webinar.
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Antibiotic resistances increases with local temperature
Nature Climate Change explored the effects of climate (temperature) and additional factors on the disruption of antibiotic resistance across the United States, and their report shows that increasing local temperature as well as population density are associated with increasing antibiotic resistance (percent resistant) in common pathogens.

They found that an increase in temperature of 10 °C across regions was associated with an increase in antibiotic resistance of 4.2%, 2.2%, and 2.7% for the common pathogens Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae and Staphlococcus aureus. The associations between temperature and antibiotic resistance in this ecological study are consistent across most classes of antibiotics and pathogens and may be strengthening over time. These findings suggest that current forecasts of the burden of antibiotics and pathogens may be strengthening over time. Findings suggest that current forecasts of the burden of antibiotic resistance could be significant underestimated in the face of a growing population and climate change.

Click here to read the full article
LEED must be updated to address climate change
Over the last 20 years, LEED has become the dominant green building design standard and is the most influential standard of its kind globally. This is an extraordinary achievement and has made for healthier, more productive and greener homes, workplaces, schools, hospitals and public spaces for tens of millions of families, students and workers.

But LEED has not kept up with the accelerating urgency of climate change or the availability of low and no-cost ways to deeply cut carbon — particularly from steep declines in the cost of clean energy options (such as the 60 percent cost reduction of residential solar since 2010) — that make these now the cheapest electricity source in most states. The rapid growth in the ability to buy onsite and offsite solar and wind under a power purchase agreement (PPA) structure allows LEED building owners to buy carbon-free power at a fixed price at or below conventional utility rates. These onsite and offsite wind and solar options allow most LEED buildings to switch to 100-percent, zero-carbon power at low or no cost —  and in many cases can reduce the future cost of electricity .

Learn more about LEED and Climate Change here.
New York City tests new energy storage system at Bronx Hospital
A 100 foot energy storage battery is being tested at NYC Health + Hospitals/Jacobi. This battery will provide 100kW of energy over a four-hour period to assist with peak demand reduction and powering a portion of the medical center’s energy needs in the event of a power outage. This energy storage demonstration project is part of the City’s grid modernization efforts and the Mayor’s efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and advance the use of renewable energy. The battery will also help increase the resiliency of the Hospital during events such as Hurricane Sandy.

Click here to read the full article
Intelligent system considerations - Keeping hospitals up and running during emergency situations
Health care facilities have enough to worry about. Getting back on their feet after an emergency shouldn’t be one of them. Distributed energy storage can help by releasing stored energy to provide power during an outage, which is critical for always-occupied health care environments where patients count on power to keep them healthy, safe and comfortable. Video surveillance can also help health care facilities keep an eye on high trafficked locations, helping to investigate stolen or damaged items, along with visitor or patient complaints.

These intelligent infrastructure considerations are key to health care facilities staying operational and resilient before, during and after an emergency. With patient needs, staff efficiencies, code compliance and more always on the minds of health care leaders, infrastructure can be the helpful backbone they need to succeed.

Click here to read more
This is one reason why an unconditional ban on plastic straws could be a problem
The worldwide movement to ban single-use plastics is picking up momentum as a growing number of bars and restaurants have pledged to #StopSucking plastic straws. In November 2019, Vancouver will become the first Canadian city to prohibit the disposable drinking implement. Meanwhile, cities such as Delhi, India and Seattle, Wash. have already committed and New York City is considering it, too.
 
Click here to learn more about the movement to reduce plastic waste

Celebrating Canada’s energy efficiency superstars
On May 28th, 2018, the Government of Canada recognized and celebrated leaders in energy efficiency from across Canada at the 15th annual ENERGY STAR® Awards.

New this year, owners of Canada’s first ENERGY STAR certified buildings were also celebrated. In March 2018, ENERGY STAR Canada was expanded to include a new certification program for seven types of commercial and institutional buildings. The program encourages and recognizes top energy performance in commercial offices, K-12 schools, hospitals, medical offices, senior care communities and residential care facilities, supermarkets and food stores, and ice/curling rinks.

Click here to view the full list of 2018 Energy Star Participant winners.
38th annual CHES Ontario Conference and Trade Show
Join friends and colleagues for the 38 th  annual event including multiple education sessions, Keynote Speaker “Humble” Howard Glassman, the annual golf tournament and gala evening.
National Health Leadership Conference 
When: June 4-5, 2018  
Location: 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 organisations, public health agencies, community care, mental health and social services. As well, the conference draws participants from government, education and research organisations, professional associations, consulting firms and industry. 

Download the comprehensive brochure here
Pollution Prevention and Extending Procurement Practices to Drive Diversion Webinar
When: Tuesday, June 27, 2018 
11:00 AM – 12:00 PM (EDT)

The Canadian Coalition for Green Heath Care (CCGHC) and the Recycling Council of Ontario (RCO) are pleased to announce the second of our series of collaborative webinars that examines resource efficiency and waste reduction in Canada’s health care sector.

Featured gues t: Lisa James, President and CEO, Environmental Advisory Group Inc. (EAG), a boutique consultancy specializing in the healthcare field.

Click here to download the Sector Engagement questionnaire.
OHHA 7 th  Annual Conference and Trade Show “TRUE GRIT”
Date: June 5-7, 2018
Location: Pinestone Resort - Haliburton, Ontario

Deadline to Register is May 18, 2018, so Giddy Up!
Professional development in waste auditing and reporting
Date: June 12-13, 2018
Limited space. Registration deadline: June 1

Waste Auditor Training
Recycling Council of Ontario (RCO) offers annual  Waste Auditor Training  sessions, which are based on a Standard Waste Audit Method that supports development in key areas: 
  • accurate and standardized methods of measuring and reporting performance
  • auditing principles
  • sampling methods
  • benchmarking and data analysis
  • best practices
  • compliance with regulation
 
Training Objectives:  
A combination of lectures and workshops offers attendees hands-on experience through case studies, creation of audit plans, and development and application of auditing skills through table-top scenarios and situational exercises.
 
Participants also learn about modern methods of performance measurement, methods of calculating waste reduction, and realistic indicators of effective source separation programs. Participants apply audit findings into compliant and effective waste reduction work plans that focus on waste reduction and reuse as priorities.
 
3RCertified:
Launched in 2013  3RCertified  is for the Industrial, Commercial and Institutional (IC&I) sector, and aims to standardize and enhance waste minimization practices through waste audits and a comprehensive analysis of the entire lifecycle of material management – from procurement to final destination. 
 
Attendees that acquire the Certificate of Completion are added to a  service providers  list that supports 3RCertified. Organizations that apply for 3RCertified status also receive points toward their certification for engaging auditors.

Fees:
RCO Member: $1,575
RCO Future Member: $1,775
 
Register:
Waste Auditor Training is a popular learning and development opportunity, and each session is limited to 16 registrations.
 
Email  3RCertified@rco.on.ca  to register now or be placed on a waiting list for future sessions.
CAEM 2018 Conference & Trade Show
Date: September 9-11, 2018
Location: Sheraton Toronto Airport Hotel and Conference Centre

Featured Speakers: Inspiring Guest Speakers, Leading Edge Education, Innovative Infection Control and Environmental Exhibitors, and Endless Networking Opportunities!
CHES 2018 National Conference
Smarter Infrastructure for Enhanced Patient Outcomes
Date: September 16-18, 2018
Location: St. John's Convention Centre - St John's, Newfoundland
 

Don't forget to book your booth for the CHES 2018 National Conference in St. John's NL, September 16-18, 2018.  
Space is limited in 2018 so reserve your booth today (if you have not already done so)! 

Follow this link to submit contract for exhibit space

Monday Program Highlights:
  • Keynote Address - Team Broken Earth- Sponsored by Honeywell
  • Build it Right Now to Save Lives in the Future
  • When Risk becomes a Reality; Behind the scenes of an Aspergillus Investigation
  • The analysis, business case, and Implementation of District Cooling Solutions at Toronto General Hospital
  • Upping the Game- How the new edition of Z8000 is shaping health care design for the next decade 
  • Impacting Patient Care by Optimizing Operations & Reducing Energy Usage
  • Engineered Infection Prevention
  • How Smart Robots Improve Logistics for Better Patient Outcomes

Tuesday Program Highlights:
  • Maximizing Emergency Department Capacity By Design: New Workflow + Flexible Environments
  • Primary Healthcare Infrastructure Design Guide: Patient Focused Design Supporting Collaborative Care Teams
  • Operating Room Relative Humidity Control using Liquid Desicant Dehumidification Technology
  • 5 Steps to a Successful Hospital Construction Project
  • Intelligent Drains: Addressing HAI with Hand Hygiene Sink Drainset Technology
  • St. Michael's Hospital: The Application of Digital Healthcare Technology into an existing Healthcare Expansion Project.
  • Relationship Between Indoor Air Parameters and occupant health. Roles of the Microbiome of the built Environment
If you have inspirational greening stories or photos to share with Green Digest readers, please send them to Dan at dan@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.