2014 was a big year for GreenCare and the EES team, thanks to you! We had an exceptional number of responses to our survey and wanted to share some of the initial results with you.

• 5,937 staff from VCH, PHC, PHSA & FH provided feedback, an increase of 33% from our last survey in 2012.
• 25-question survey, divide into 4 sections that covered:
  • Environmental sustainability behaviours and opportunities;
  • Commuting habits and programs;
  • Feedback on current, as well as desired sustainability initiatives across healthcare.

Initial findings:

• Recycling and Waste Reduction stick out as key issues of concern, as well as areas where staff are taking action:
  • 97% of respondents recycle paper at work;
  • 92% recycle beverage containers;
  • 90% of respondents use reusable containers for lunches and snacks.
• Energy use at work was flagged as an area that needs education and improvement, particularly turning off monitors, unplugging equipment, and turning off lights.
• 18% of our respondents commute to work in a car on their own. We know there are many factors that influence commuting habits and behavior. This section of the survey generated great feedback and information to help us improve resources and incentives for other modes of clean and active transportation.
• Another take-away is that we need to build awareness of GreenCare, our projects and initiatives to improve the health of people and planet.

We are still in the process of analyzing the data for the survey, as there are many great suggestions on how we can further GreenCare’s environmental sustainability efforts across health care.

Over the next month, we will be publishing a series of stories in the VCH News and on the GreenCare Community www.bcgreencare.ca to give more details on the feedback we received and related actions.

How you can help

You, too, can help support GreenCare conservation efforts: Join the GreenCare Community at www.bcgreencare.ca to learn more & support our energy saving and environmental sustainability efforts.

About GreenCare

GreenCare is a Lower Mainland health care focused initiative designed to promote an environmentally conscious culture and create sustainable solutions for healthy lives and a healthy community.

As one respondent said: “We are a health organization. It shouldn’t even be a question of our practices being healthy. It should be leadership by example.”