Green Offices Toolkit

The Green Offices Toolkit offers a comprehensive framework for Canadian health care providers to implement sustainable office practices. It outlines a phased approach to 'greening' a clinic, starting with the establishment of a 'Green Team' and the definition of a vision and mission. The document provides specific technical advice on reducing energy and water consumption, managing toxic substances like mercury and pharmaceuticals, and minimizing waste through recycling and composting. It also emphasizes the role of physicians as community leaders who can influence patient health and environmental behavior through education and by modeling sustainable lifestyles.

• Healthcare is estimated to be responsible for 6-10% of all environmental harm and the resulting illnesses within Canadian society.
• Energy reduction is identified as an accessible starting point for office greening, with potential for cost savings and reduced greenhouse gas emissions. Recommended actions include switching to LED lighting, using programmable thermostats set 2-3 degrees below the national average of 21°C, and eliminating 'phantom loads' by turning off electronics at the end of the day.
• Water conservation strategies for clinics include setting water heaters to a baseline of 49°C to prevent Legionella while reducing energy, installing low-flow faucets (referencing the 2012 Ontario Building Code maximum of 8.35 L/min), and replacing old 13-litre toilets with high-efficiency 4.8-litre or dual-flush models.
• The guide advises reducing toxic exposure by replacing mercury-containing thermometers and sphygmomanometers with digital or infrared alternatives, as mercury is a potent neurotoxin. It also suggests maintaining fragrance-free clinics to protect patients with asthma or allergies from petrochemical-based synthetic fragrances.
• To reduce waste, the toolkit suggests streamlining paper use by defaulting printers to double-sided and draft mode, and reducing the unnecessary use of exam table paper, which is described as an 'esthetic' rather than an infection control measure.
• Transportation is noted as Canada's second largest contributor to greenhouse gas emissions (24% in 2015). The guide encourages clinics to promote active transportation by installing bicycle racks and encouraging the use of public transit.
• Physicians are encouraged to use their professional influence to lead community change, educate patients on the health effects of climate change, and advocate for sustainable procurement from healthcare suppliers.

APA

Arya, N., Zigby, J., Mah, J. J., Mu, L. J. J., Marshall, L., Varangu, L., & Waddington, K. (n.d.). Green Offices Toolkit. Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment. https://cape.ca/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/Green-Office-Toolkit-2018-on-line-.pdf#new_tab

Chicago

Arya, Neil, Jean Zigby, Jasmine J. Mah, Lisa J. Jing Mu, Lynn Marshall, Linda Varangu, and Kent Waddington. Green Offices Toolkit. Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment, n.d. https://cape.ca/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/Green-Office-Toolkit-2018-on-line-.pdf#new_tab.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Arya |first1=Neil |last2=Zigby |first2=Jean |last3=Mah |first3=Jasmine J. |last4=Mu |first4=Lisa J. Jing |last5=Marshall |first5=Lynn |last6=Varangu |first6=Linda |last7=Waddington |first7=Kent |title=Green Offices Toolkit |publisher=Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment |url=https://cape.ca/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/Green-Office-Toolkit-2018-on-line-.pdf#new_tab |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{aryandgreen, author = {Arya, Neil and Zigby, Jean and Mah, Jasmine J. and Mu, Lisa J. Jing and Marshall, Lynn and Varangu, Linda and Waddington, Kent}, title = {{Green Offices Toolkit}}, institution = {Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment}, url = {https://cape.ca/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/Green-Office-Toolkit-2018-on-line-.pdf#new_tab}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }