Combermere, Ontario, January 15, 2026 – The Canadian Coalition for Green Health Care (the Coalition) is proud to announce the release of its Nix the Nitrous suite of resources, designed to help health care organizations significantly reduce their environmental footprint by addressing one of the most potent greenhouse gases used in clinical settings—nitrous oxide (N₂O). … Read more
As polypharmacy continues to rise in Canada, its impact on patient care and health care systems becomes more significant. This article explores the consequences of polypharmacy, including increased patient risks, environmental footprint, financial strain and added workload for staff. It also highlights effective strategies for mitigating polypharmacy, such as deprescribing, non-pharmacological interventions, medication stewardship programs … Read more
December 5, 2025 – The Canadian Coalition for Green Health Care is excited to share a new video spotlighting the central acid delivery system (CDS) at St. Michael’s Hospital—a site of Unity Health Toronto—an innovative and sustainable solution for delivering dialysis treatment: https://youtu.be/4Sh1hxCDC3A. This video was created as part of the Decarbonization in Action project, … Read more
Imagine you’re sitting in your doctor’s office. You’ve been feeling anxious, overwhelmed, maybe a bit disconnected. After listening carefully, your physician reaches for their prescription pad. But instead of writing a medication, they scribble something unexpected: “20 minutes of nature every day.” Read Story Here
This narrative review discusses 19 initiatives that can be implemented into primary care practices to reduce GHG emissions and financial costs.
New framework guides climate-resilient acute care in Canada, with Alberta’s experience as a case study to support adaptation and continuous learning.
Addressing underuse in health care is key to sustainability—early, high-value care can cut carbon emissions and improve outcomes for patients and the planet.
This study depicts the estimated journey of a clonazepam pill’s production and distribution, with the prescription being filled in Vancouver, BC.
Primary care plays an integral role in the creation of a low-carbon health system, and the environmental consequences involved in medications is a prime example.
Combermere, Ontario, March 27, 2025 – The Canadian Coalition for Green Health Care (the Coalition) proudly marks the successful completion of the first year of the ‘Preparing Canada’s Health Care Buildings for Net-Zero’ project. Supported by the Government of Canada’s Low Carbon Economy Implementation Readiness Fund, this initiative is equipping health care organisations with the … Read more
Combermere, Ontario: February 21, 2025 – Canada’s premier green health care resource network, the Canadian Coalition for Green Health Care, has launched a new initiative in its sustainable health arsenal to help Canada’s hospitals (and clinics) deal with the negative impacts of nitrous oxide (N2O) storage and use. Enter Nix the Nitrous, part of a … Read more
Speaking at the GLOBExCHANGE conference on Wednesday, medical experts warned that as climate change worsens, hospitals and clinics are contributing to the problem. They are calling for a national strategy to decarbonize healthcare, ensuring that health facilities and supply chains reduce their emissions before the sector’s carbon footprint worsens the very health crises it aims to … Read more
A new national awareness campaign aims to help reduce and better reuse plastics in health care settings. The 3 year government-funded project is a collaboration between CCGHC and Hamilton Health Sciences. Read Article Here
Climate change is making us sick — and the healthcare system is exacerbating the problem. But new strategies suggest it’s possible to clean up our act. Read Article Here
21 janvier 2025 – La Coalition canadienne pour un système de santé écologiques (la Coalition), en collaboration avec Hamilton Health Sciences (HHS), lancera une nouvelle initiative nationale de sensibilisation à la réduction et à la réutilisation des plastiques dans les établissements de soins de santé. Ce projet de trois ans est financé par Environnement et … Read more
January 21, 2025 –The Canadian Coalition for Green Health Care (the Coalition), in collaboration with Hamilton Health Sciences (HHS) will launch a new national awareness initiative to reduce and reuse plastics in health care settings. This three-year project is funded by Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC). Reducing single use plastic (SUP) usage and waste … Read more
Canadian health care providers will be urged to “nix the nitrous” in a new campaign to curb greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from leaky centralized delivery systems for the anesthetic gas. Read Article Here
Where would you like to be when you die? Seven out of eight people in Canada would choose to pass away at home where they and their loved ones would be more comfortable. And yet 56 per cent of people in Canada actually die in hospitals. If dying at home could be made more feasible and well resourced, … Read more
This paper explores how dentists can mitigate environmental impact through advocacy and actions, both professionally and personally. Read Article Here
Combermere, Ontario – Made possible with an investment of $849,410 from the Government of Canada’s Low Carbon Economy Implementation Readiness Fund, the Canadian Coalition for Green Health Care (the Coalition) is embarking on an ambitious three-year project to accelerate the readiness of the Canadian health care workforce (HCW) and leadership to undertake climate change mitigation … Read more
Canada faces a “polycrisis” of interconnected economic, environmental, and social challenges. Addressing these requires coordinated policies that consider overlapping risks. Read Article Here
The article highlights the numerous health and environmental benefits of planting trees in urban areas. Trees help improve air quality, reduce heat island effects, and provide mental health benefits by creating greener, more serene environments. Read Article Here
Coalition Executive Director, Dr. Myles Sergeant was interviewed by the CP24 Morning Show, where he discussed the research-driven benefits of adding greenspaces to health care facilities. Read Article Here
CTV news interviewed Dr. Myles Sergeant to discuss how medical facilities are integrating trees/plants into their design to promote patient healing and sustainability, showcasing the health benefits of greenery. Read Article Here
This article investigates emissions related to health care in a patient’s last year of life. End of life is a period when health care use and associated emissions production increases exponentially. Read Article Here
Clinicians can implement updated recommendations on dose and frequency of iron supplementation that can have benefits for patients and help mitigate environmental harms from health care practices. Read Article Here
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.” Read Article Here
Canadians across the country are embracing active transportation and a more planet-friendly lifestyle. In particular, many are turning to battery-powered micro-mobility devices (BPMM) to get them to and from work, to the ice cream parlour and grocery store, to the library and beyond. In addition, hospitals and long-term care homes are engaging in practices that … Read more
Hamilton, Ontario: December 21, 2023 – Research led by the Canadian Coalition for Green Health Care on personal protective equipment (PPE), intentionally designed and manufactured as reusable, including gowns, goggles, face shields, and elastomeric respirators, was conducted to identify prospects to reduce plastic PPE waste focusing on opportunities for reduction and reuse in the health system. … Read more
The 2022 Green Hospital Scorecard Awards were announced Wednesday December 13th, at virtual award presentations held by the Canadian Coalition for Green Health Care. These award were made possible with the support of our partner Health Canada and our award sponsors Trane, Shift Energy, Roche, Ecotex, GE Healthcare and Better Battery. You can now watch a recording of the awards HERE … Read more
As a prominent healthcare provider in Canada, Hamilton Health Sciences (HHS) is concerned with the effects of our sector on society, the environment, and our patients, as well as the communities we serve and the world. In an effort to transform Canada’s health care supply chains and achieve our shared vision of a resilient, equitable, and … Read more
This article sheds light on the Canadian health system’s interest in environmental sustainability and efforts to build a more climate-resilient health care system. Read Article Here
Healthcare contributes significantly to global warming and accounts for 4.4% of global greenhouse gas emissions. Additionally, the end-of-life (EOL) period is characterized by disproportionately high hospital use, which is both emissions-intensive and often contrary to patients’ wishes to receive EOL care at home. In Canada, end-of-life hospitalization accounts for almost 6 million hospital days and … Read more
Physicians are encouraged to actively consider the environmental impact of medical interventions. Chief among these considerations is the environmental burden of medication development, production, and disposition. Addressing the environmental consequences of medication prescribing is a critical part of mitigating carbon emissions in healthcare. This matter is often neglected, when compared to the problem of disposition … Read more
ADVANCING AWARENESS, SUPPORT AND ADOPTION OF BATTERY-POWERED MICRO-MOBILITY SOLUTIONS IN CANADA’S HEALTH SERVICES SECTOR Combermere, ON – A new zero emission vehicle initiative advancing awareness, support and adoption of battery-powered micro-mobility (BPMM) solutions in Canada’s health services sector has just come on the scene. The Canadian Coalition for Green Health Care has been granted the privilege … Read more
Healthcare governing boards, executives, medical staff, health professionals, and allied staff members should all play a role in devising, promoting, and implementing solutions for climate change mitigation, which must extend beyond the boundaries of their own workplaces and healthcare institutions. Such actions can potentially influence not only healthcare professionals and their patients but also healthcare … Read more
This review discusses the development of a knowledge translation tool that aims to compare a range of interventions that can be applied in hospital settings to reduce the local GHG emissions and associated financial costs. Read Article Here
Updates 2021 Green Health Care Awards The 2021 Green Health Care Awards were announced Wednesday September 21st and Thursday September 22nd, 2022 respectively, at virtual award presentations held by the Canadian Coalition for Green Health Care. The awards, made possible with support from Ontario’s Save on Energy initiative, honour Canada’s most sustainable health care organisations. … Read more
References: Thompson, D., Tools For Environmental Management: A Practical Introduction and Guide, University of Calgary Press, 2002 Health Care Without Harm, Hospital Policies, Accessed on May 20, 2014 at Health Care Without Harm
Environmentally Preferable Purchasing Once you have made your commitment to supporting sustainable health care in your organisation, it is time to let vendors know they must match their product offerings with your expectations and desire to source environmentally-friendly (green) products and services. What you buy and how you buy it is significant and your decisions … Read more
