This Earth Day, we celebrate our incredible staff and medical professionals who have been taking action to advance environmental initiatives across Interior Health (IH). Together, they’re leading us to create a health-care future that’s sustainable for decades to come.
To celebrate Earth Day this year, we created a video to showcase some of our sustainability highlights from the past year.
As part of our 2024–2027 Strategic Direction, we have included a new strategic priority, Addressing Climate Change and Sustainability.
In 2024, we continued to implement the 20 actions under our Climate Change and Sustainability Roadmap, our five-year plan to embed climate action and sustainability across our operations.
We received two national awards for our accomplishments in environmental sustainability and energy management.
The Canadian College of Health Leaders awarded us the Energy and Environmental Stewardship Award for an “unwavering commitment to sustainability and environmental responsibility amidst daunting climate challenges.”
In November, Kootenay Lake Hospital’s Laboratory was awarded the 2024–25 Green Lab Award from the Canadian Association of Pathologists. The laboratory team has been dedicated to implementing strategies to improve the site’s environmental performance while maintaining high-quality patient care.
We hired Dr. Ilona Hale, our first medical director, climate change and sustainability, to advance clinical sustainability projects.
We have worked closely to identify sustainability opportunities to reduce waste and emissions in Pharmacy and Lab Services. We launched a Lab Sustainability Focus Group and published a national playbook on integrating sustainability into clinical laboratories.
We continued to engage and work together with local communities and Indigenous partners to coordinate pre-season activities, prepare for extreme weather events and reduce climate related health impacts.
In the Kootenay Boundary (KB) region, we piloted a Climate Change and Health Vulnerability and Adaptation Assessment project. This assessment evaluates vulnerability of climate-related health impacts, focusing on extreme heat, cold, flooding, wildfires and smoke, and drought in the KB. It will serve as a template for future assessment in other Interior regions.
Related Stories@IH: Meet two women who are changing the way we think about water
KLO Middle School students are learning about food in a fun, innovative and hands-on way thanks to a modular farm and a creek restoration project.
/stories/growing-food-and-minds-learning-about-food-modular-farm
Blending her two passions of teaching and health care, Echo Porlier aims to promote equitable access to education through her work in rural and remote nursing.
/stories/we-are-ih-nurse-educator-fosters-equitable-access-education
Our Employed Student Nurse/Employed Student Psychiatric Nurse program offers students real-world experience under the guidance of an experienced RN, RPN or NP.
/stories/launch-your-nursing-career-esnespn-paid-work-program
Diana Heighes has much of her career at Royal Inland Hospital. For 10 years she has worked in day care surgery and even had a chance to work with her daughter.
/stories/we-are-ih-registered-nurse-35-years-pursued-her-dream
Alison, a harm reduction coordinator with IH, explores how stigma kept her from seeking the help she needed. Read about her journey to wellness.
/stories/stigma-inside-out-how-internalized-stigma-can-trap-you
Kim’s love of science, curiosity, and empathy for people are what drew her into nursing. Today, she’s a member of IH’s harm reduction team.
/stories/we-are-ih-compassionate-rn-eases-pain-and-fear-people
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