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| | | | | | | | Editorial | | | | | Make the Change
This week I had the builders in: a new wooden floor and new kitchen. While one installing company separated their used packaging into to cardboard and plastic and took it with them, the other one dumped it all in our rubbish bin. It made me wonder, what stops us making sustainability part of our daily business, not an add-on chore but integral to every activity?
We do not need more information about climate change, natural catastrophes or soaring energy prices. We know the business case for sustainability. So what does it take to tip the balance? Thinking outside the box, finding partners where we work and going for it. It may be easier than we imagine. Sounds idealistic, but I have seen it and I do not need to tell you which company I preferred working in my house.
With best wishes,
Anja Leetz
HCWH Europe Executive Director | | |
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| | | | | Events | | | Vienna: (Nano–)Silver in Medical And Consumer Products
Date: 9 th June 2011 | | | | (Nano-)Silver in Medical and Consumer Products – Miracle Drug Against Germs Or Threat For Our Health and Environment?" | | | | Who should attend? Austria-based professionals. | | | | The aim is to raise awareness among personnel in hospitals and to set steps for a reasonable usage of biocides especially in hospitals. | | | | Attendes: Austrian Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, Environment and Water Management, Austrian Federal Ministry of Health, NGO's and Consumer Protection Agencies. | | | | Organisers: Institute of Sustainable Healthcare (INGES), Vienna, HCWH Europe and the Department of Clinical Microbiology, University Hospital Uppsala, Sweden. | | | | Contact Michaela Truppe, INGES, +43 (0)1 5037208 | | |
| | | | | | London: BMJ Briefing on Climate Change, Health & Security
Date: 20th June 2011 | | | | Climate Change: How to secure our future wellbeing – a health and security perspective | | | | Who should attend? Public health professional, public policy makers, military personnel. | | | "It might be considered unusual for the medical and military professions to concur. But on this subject we do. Climate change poses an immediate and grave threat, driving ill health and increasing the risk of conflict, such that each feeds on the other. And like all good medicine, prevention is the key." BMJ article
Attend the conference | | |
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| | | | | Take Action! | | | | Green Procurement – Don't Forget to Check Out Our 9 Steps to Green Purchasing | | | | Don’t forget to check out our 9 steps to Green Purchasing. HCWH Europe also runs expert workshops to help hospitals improve their environmental performance through procurement. Contact us for more information. more | | |
| | | | | | | Join the Sustainable Energy Europe Campaign | | | | It showcases activities dedicated to energy efficiency and renewable energy solutions. Any activity – be it a project or event – which you carry out to encourage the use of renewables or energy efficiency is welcome. more | | |
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| | | | | UK in Focus | | | | UK's Building Better Healthcare Awards 2011 | | | The UK's Building Better Healthcare Awards 2011 are now open for entry and applications must be made before 27th May.
With a wide range of categories, the BBH Awards celebrate the people, the products and the projects that have excelled at improving the healthcare environment during the previous 12 months. The awards reward best practice and world class architecture, design, facilities and estates management in the healthcare built environment. more | | | | | | | Interview: NHS Reforms And The Sustainability Agenda | | | The NHS is about to undergo a period of radical reform, so what does that mean for the sustainability agenda?
Stephen Kennett of 2degrees met up with Rachel Stancliffe, co-founder of the Centre for Sustainable Healthcare Organization, to find out | | |
| | | | | | | GP Footprinter Tool | | | Best Foot Forward has just launched a carbon footprinting tool for GPs, in association with the Royal College of General Practitioners.
GP Footprinter is a tool that enables practice managers to quickly measure their carbon footprint, set targets and find opportunities for reducing emissions. more | | | | | | | Framework for Mandatory Sustainability Reporting of NHS Organisations | | | | The NHS Sustainable Development Unit and the UK Department of Health have developed a framework for mandatory sustainability reporting of NHS organisations | | |
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| | | | | | | | | Infection Ecology and Epidemiology Network (IEE) | | | | The IEE, provides a platform for researchers from medical and ecological disciplines to interact. The principle is not to build up new laboratory facilities, but to collaborate within existing structures to increase knowledge of the emergence, spread and effects of infectious disease in humans, domestic animals and wildlife. Combating zoonoses effectively requires researchers from human as well as veterinary medicine and ecologists to collaborate under the “One health” concepts. The Network was presented globally at the 1st International One Health Congress Human Health, Animal Health, the Environment and Global Survival, in Melbourne 14–16 February where an Open Access Journal in this field was launched. more | | |
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| | | | | Health & Environment News | | | | Sweden: Hospital Commuters Travel Smart | | | The two hospitals in Lund and Malmö that make up Skåne University Hospital (SUS) are among the best large-scale enterprises in the country when it comes to low CO2 emissions combined with good travel habits. 6,035 employees replied to a survey showing that almost half of the motorists could see themselves leaving their car at home if they were able to buy a season ticket at a discount. More could be persuaded to cycle to work if secure parking places, a bonus system for cyclists and better cycle lanes were available.
Learn more and follow their example....
Contact Ann-Kristin Ekholm from REGION SKÅNE | | | | | | | Call For Action to Prevent Childhood Diseases From Exposure to Certain Chemicals | | | At the Paris Appeal 3rd international congress on children's health and the environment, the Health and Environment Alliance (HEAL) said that reducing rates of childhood cancer, congenital malformations, developmental problems, asthma and allergies cannot be achieved without reducing exposure to certain chemicals. Full HEAL statement
The meeting was organised by the Association for Research and Treatments Against Cancer with HCWH Europe member International Society of Doctors for the Environment and HEAL to bring together international experts on environmental affects health.
Congress programme | | |
| | | | | | | Spain: Hospitals Save Millions on Solar Power, by Hospitalaria | | | | Hospisol, a project of the Regional Energy Authority of Castilla and León (EREN), dependent of the Ministry of Economy and Employment aims to install solar hot water panels and provide renewable energy in all 23 public hospitals (7,000 beds) in the region. This will represent savings equal to 560 tonnes of oil per year. The project, begun in 2004 has reached 65% of its goal. more | | | | | | | European Health Award – Nominations Open | | | Nominations for the 5th edition of the European Health Award, awarded annually at the European Health Forum Gastein are now open. The deadline is the 6th of June 2011.
The prize was 'initiated with the intention to promote health policy initiatives with an European scope, that have contributed in a significant way to meet such European health challenges as inequality and disparities in health status, access to health services and/or the provision of treatment within Europe'. more | | |
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| | | | | Updates From HCWH! | | | | HCWH Europe Gets Active! | | | Susie Kinghan has recently joined HCWH Europe as Communications Officer. You can now follow us on twitter, find a map of all of our members and soon to be developed an interactive blog.
Please get involved and what this space for more updates! | | | | Please contact Susie (English/Spanish/French) to share any stories or information for the website or network. | | | | | | | Anja Leetz attended CleanMed 2011 in April | | | | CleanMed is a showcase for change in the health sector. Attended by nearly 800 people, doctors, nurses, facility managers, CEOs, architects, engineers, etc. all discussed how the sector can reduce their environmental impact. Anja Leetz and board Director Daniel Erikkson also went with a special mission: in preparation of the 3rd European CleanMed we compared notes with our US colleagues. Find out all about CleanMed | | |
| | | | | | CleanMed Europe 2012
Join us in Malmö, Sweden 26th – 28th September 2012 | | | | CleanMed aims to raise awareness of environmental challenges in the healthcare sector and spreads knowledge on how to solve there. It is a meeting point for all healthcare professionals with an interest in improving the environmental performance of the healthcare sector. more | | | | | | | HCWH Discusses Climate Targets With NGOs in Hungary | | | | Invited by Clean Air Action Group (CAAG), Hungary – the largest environmental organisation in Hungary. Pendo presented the findings of the HCWH and HEAL report Acting Now for better Health, as they relate to Hungary in particular and to the EU in general. The aim was to meet national organisation members, share these findings with them and strengthen alliances for national support towards an EU 30% green house gas emissions reduction target by 2020. more | | |
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| | | | | New Publications | | | | HCWH Guide for Eliminating Mercury from Health Care Establishments | | | | In order to scale-up the replacement of mercury–based medical devices around the world, HCWH has put together a guide that systematises the basic steps in mercury substitution. The guide is available in English, Spanish and Portuguese and is being translated into Bahasa, Thai and Chinese. more | | | | | | | WHO Report: Burden of Disease From Environmental Noise. Quantification of Healthy Life Years Lost in Europe | | | | At least one million healthy life years are lost every year from traffic-related noise in the western part of Europe. This publication summarizes the evidence on the relationship between environmental noise and health effects, including cardiovascular disease, cognitive impairment, sleep disturbance, tinnitus, and annoyance. more | | |
| | | | | | | WHO Report: Children's Exposure to Mercury Compounds | | | | WHO – This document is designed to inform and educate health professionals about children's exposure to mercury compounds and its serious consequences. The document emphasizes the critical importance of primary prevention. more | | | | | | | New EU Manual on Borderline and Classification For Medical Devices | | | | On 4th April 2011, the European Commission issued a new version of the "Manual on borderline and classification in the Community Regulatory framework for medical devices" (version 1.9 of 03-2011). more | | |
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