ONEIG update

Posted on June 16, 2022, 11:08 a.m.

Hello ONEIG family!

We hope you're doing well and finding joy as we approach this summer solstice (and staying cool!). The past few weeks have been intense between the Ontario election and the RNAO AGM. Through the ups and downs, we hope that you will keep working with us as we will need all of the energy and passion you can bring to the pressing environmental health issues that we face in Ontario and beyond. 

"The truth is: the natural world is changing. And we are totally dependent on that world. It provides our food, water, and air. It is the most precious thing we have and we need to defend it."- David Attenborough

News
In response to our 2021 resolution, the 2022 Annual Report of the RNAO included the first 'Ecological Footprint Report' that reported on metrics related to internal work being done to reduce our organization's environmental impact. The three metrics highlighted in this report were: waste and trash, water consumption, and energy performance. Take a look at the report and our new quick Member's Voices clip (thank you Dominique!) in the video on the AGM report on the new AGM portal! 

We are also so proud that our own Hilda Swirsky won a Lifetime Achievement Award for decades of dedication to best practices, environmental determinants of health, and leading in our profession. Join us in a huge CONGRATULATIONS for this well-deserved award. 

Vote! 
You have less than a week to vote in our ONEIG elections for our Policy and Political Action leads (2 positions) and our student liaison lead. 

Vote in 3 easy steps! BY JUNE 20th (Monday!)

  1. Sign into your MyRNAO account at myRNAO.ca/user
  2. Under the Account Management menu (right hand side of the page) click on My Elections
  3. Click on 2022 Ontario Nurses for the Environment Interest Group (ONEIG) Elections!

Action
And we cannot complete an ONEIG communication without at least one way you can take action to advocate for our environment and health! The RNAO has recently signed onto the campaign: Fossil Fuel Ads Make Us Sick  (lead by the Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment) with the encouragement of ONEIG. This campaign highlights the many health impacts of fossil fuels and the need to ban ads that promote the use of these toxic and dangerous substances. Check out the website, where you can sign on and support the campaign too!: www.stopfossilfuelads.ca

In Solidarity, 

Your ONEIG co-chairs,

Josalyn Radcliffe and our NEW co-chair Rob Samulack (Welcome Rob!)