Sunnybrook’s 5th Annual Earth Matters Showcase is coming soon – Wednesday April 16th. With over 20 companies confirmed to attend we think that this year’s event is going to bigger and better than ever.
The Earth Matter’s showcase is an internal trade show that Sunnybrook hosts for our 10,000 staff and volunteers. Each year we organize companies and community groups to set up displays presenting green products and information regarding green initiatives. Many of these companies have partnered with Sunnybrook to implement green initiatives and are happy to talk to staff about the impacts of those green initiatives on the hospital and the community at large. For example staff and volunteers can learn about the two solar arrays we have installed at Sunnybrook as part of a $30Million energy retrofit project with Honeywell, or the deltasorb anesthetic gas capturing system we have implemented in the operating rooms with BlueZone. There are a wide variety of companies that participate and their displays cover all aspects of sustainability including: energy, water, transportation, food, indoor air quality, air pollution, nature and landscape, and green purchasing.
(photo from the 2013 Earth Matters Showcase Event)
What is great about this event is that staff and volunteers have the opportunity to interact with company representatives, be engaged and ask questions. According to Doug McKenzie-Mohr in his book – Fostering Sustainable Behaviour “Research demonstrates that the major influence upon our attitudes and behaviour is not the media, but rather our contact with other people”. It is this interaction with people that makes the Earth Matters Showcase so successful. After exploring the Showcase and connecting with others, staff are more informed, feel more engaged and often have ideas for how we can make Sunnybrook even greener. Feedback which they can submit for a chance to win some really great prizes like this year’s grand prize – an iPad mini – sponsored by Honeywell.
(photo from the 2013 Earth Matters Showcase Event)
Most of all, the Earth Matters Showcase is a celebration of all things green at Sunnybrook. It’s both a testament to all that we have accomplished and an inspiration for future green initiatives.
This year’s event is April 16th – you wont want to miss it!
