Glen Garrick
Glen Garrick, manager of Environmental Sustainability answers questions about the ‘You & the Environment’ survey, which launches today and is available Nov 1st – 16th.
Complete the ‘You & the Environment’ survey and you are instantly eligible to win either an IPad or Ucluelet Resort Getaway for two.
1. The ‘You & the Environment’ survey is rolling out today for all employees at VCH, FH, PHSA and PHC – what exactly is the survey about / why is it important?
The Energy & Environmental Sustainability (EES) team was put together 2 years ago. At that time we conducted our first lower mainland survey to baseline where each organizations performance was at. So this is an important survey as it is another opportunity for all VCH, FH, PHSA, and PHC staff to provide feedback on the organizations environmental sustainability performance.
Here are the goals for the 2012 “You & the Environment” survey:
1. Discover which areas of environmental sustainability matter most to health care staff.
2. Determine the motivators and barriers to staff behaviour around conservation.
3. Gather feedback on the EES work areas & programs that need to be prioritized in the coming year.
4. Provide an opportunity for staff to directly engage the EES team.
2. Have you done this survey before? What did you do with the data you gathered?
We did a lower mainland survey back in 2010, which gave the EES group much needed information and data to help guide our sustainability programs and initiatives. For example, survey respondents flagged materials waste, as a priority area for action. As a result, the EES team hired a Reduction & Recycling coordinator to grow recycling and waste reduction programs across all of VCH, PHSA, FHA, and PHC.
We will compare responses to the 2012 survey to previous benchmarking to determine how we are doing as a team. I fully expect to see areas where we have improved but also hope to find areas where we need to get better. The findings will be presented to the health care organizations senior leaders, executive sponsors, and general staff. Lastly, we’ll dig into the data to help learn how we can be more effective as a team in our work.
3. Why should health care staff be concerned with environmental sustainability?
While working in West Africa a number of years ago I had an epiphany. I was in charge of the medical supply chain for a major NGO hospital. We helped a lot of people. But we also generated a lot of waste, which was either burned or sent to the rubbish dump. It was there that I realized that the current health care system has a major disconnect. We did not adequately take into account how we were polluting the environment in which the locals lived. How many patients, in West Africa or even here in Vancouver, come into our health care sites suffering from alignments that were caused from a polluted environment? How is our health care system contributing to these ongoing problems? If we truly care about the health of the people, we NEED to also care about how we effect the environment in which they live.
4. I see that you are the Sustainability Manager? Can you tell us what that means?
First, you should realize our team covers a HUGE scope of health care sites and staff for all of VCH, FH, PHSA, and PHC. It’s a big job trying to cover / support so many sites and staff.
The EES team currently has 14 staff. Half of the team works specifically on energy conservation. We have 4 working primarily on waste reduction and staff engagement. As well, we have 1 working individually on communications. My specific work has evolved from an energy focus into a sort of “Business Development” roll of taking on all other aspects of environmental sustainability currently not specifically addressed by a full time staff member. Thus, current topics in my portfolio include water conservation, green design, healthy land and food, zero toxicity, active mobility, and the “Cut the Carbon Community” , which is an online website for health care staff to engage with sustainability issues.
5. So what do you want me to do to get started?
- First, be proactive and take charge of your daily actions. Make those actions habits.
- Fill in the “You & the Environment” survey and be part of EES team’s vision for a resilient health care system: doiop.com/envirosurvey
- Second, advocate for accountability and change in our work space and organization.
- Third, join the Cut the Carbon Community (C3).
It is important that we come together as a collective voice.