On June 19, 2024, Partners in Project Green’s Circular Economy Leaders Consortium (CEC) was hosted by University Health Network (UHN). The group started the morning by touring the Indigenous Healing Garden, followed by a presentation of UHN’s sustainability initiatives. The group was then taken on a tour of the vast UHN campus to view some of the sustainability projects in action and were then hosted to a lunch with informal networking opportunities.
Indigenous Healing Garden
The Indigenous Healing Garden, which grows all-native plant species, includes sage, sweetgrass, cedar, strawberries, tobacco, elderberries, willow and more! The intent of the garden is to connect people in the middle of Toronto with nature. In doing so, it improves mental and spiritual health.
UHN Sustainability Initiatives
In addition to the Indigenous Healing Garden, UHN has been heavily investing in projects that improve energy efficiency, reduce GHG emissions, waste diversion and reduction, and engage staff from all departments in championing for deeper sustainability practices. Some initiatives include:
- Training staff on sustainability and environmental compliance with fun and educational quizzes
- Deep Lake Cooling
- Wastewater Energy Transfer
- Eliminating use of anesthetic with high global warming potential
- Prioritizing reuse over disposable items
- Bring your own bag programs
- Regular compliance monitoring
- Waste Wizards at staff events to teach people how to properly sort waste
- Green Team made up of representatives of different departments
Tour Highlights
Thank you UHN for your Hospitality and the Informative Tour!
The Circular Economy Leaders Consortium, offered by Partners in Project Green, is an exclusive group of sustainability professionals seeking to achieve measurable waste prevention and diversion goals with a focus on facility waste management and operations. Contact Chaya.Chengappa@trca.ca for more info!