The Digital Health & Care Innovation Centre (DHI) supported TEDxGlasgow’s Climate Action Initiative by challenging colleagues to help walk or cycle the distance to Expo 2020 Dubai.

The Climate Action Initiative brings together a diverse and growing group of 18 local, regional, and global TEDxGlasgow partners to achieve, in unison, climate action faster.

As one of Scotland’s seven Innovation Centres, funded by Scottish Government and the Scottish Funding Council, DHI, is keen to help promote and develop initiatives that will help us to make a positive impact on climate action, faster.

This challenge was initiated during the more relaxed lockdown period to motivate DHI staff to stay active and maintain or improve their physical and/ or mental wellbeing. It also encouraged them to walk or cycle more, instead of taking their cars, in an attempt to reduce our individual and organisational carbon footprint.

The challenge coincided with DHI’s proposed attendance to support Scotland’s contribution to Expo 2020 Dubai, in association with Scottish Development International, where we would have been showcasing Scottish digital health and care innovations and opportunities to a global audience. Unfortunately, the New Year Covid spike saw the event and DHI’s attendance being cancelled in-person but instead being delivered virtually.

The total distance was 4,318 miles and saw DHI colleagues contribute a minimum of 135 miles per person towards the team goal. In total they had 10 colleagues contribute over 2,845 miles towards the challenge which equates to saving 1.24 tonnes of CO2e from using our cars.

Although they may not have completed the end goal, we motivated many colleagues to get active (in a number of different ways) and continue to be active after the challenge ended, while also reducing our carbon footprint!