Environment
Green Roof Bylaw Set to Take Effect in Toronto
Things are about to get a lot greener around Toronto -- well, at least when looking down from above. On January 31st, two environmental initiatives designed to foster a more sustainable urban landscape will take effect: a new Green Roof Bylaw and a tougher version of the Toronto Green Standard (TGS).Both the Green Roof Bylaw and the updated TGS are key elements of the City's Climate Change Action Plan, which aims to reduce Toronto's greenhouse gas emissions by 80 per cent by 2050.
Environment
Christmas Tree Disposal and Pickup in Toronto
Disposal of Christmas trees in Toronto is really quite simple, and pickup by city garbage collectors is happening over the course of the next few weeks. Now that the holiday season has come and gone (unless, of course, you follow the Julian calendar), the 100,000 or so households that had decorated trees are going to want (and need!) to get them out of the house before their needles shed completely and end up everywhere.
But there is a proper way to do this... unlike in the photo above!
Environment
What's Recyclable and What's Not in Toronto?
Recycling, composting, and landfilling is a complicated process in Toronto. Some egg cartons are recyclable and go in the blue bin, but others are not. Batteries shouldn't go in the grey bin garbage. But human hair should.Between blue bins, green bins, grey bins, and special pickups and drop-off depots, there have been many times when I've been less than completely certain about how to dispose of something. Until now.
Environment
Toronto's New Dog Poop Program Kinda Stinks
Whether it's the never-ending poop or running out of bags, every dog owner has a dog doo-doo story. My story could be called "The Turds That Almost Got Away" thanks to Toronto's new dog waste pilot project.The program consists of green bins dedicated to dog waste in a few popular Toronto parks. The aim is to keep dog waste from landfills since about a quarter of park garbage is pooch poop.
Environment
Sustainable Commuting: the Bicycle
"The bicycle is a curious vehicle. Its passenger is its engine." John Howard, US Olympic Cyclist
Last winter I decided to record my commute to work via the most sustainable method of transportation that exists: my own two feet. Now that Bike Month is well under way, I wanted to share my second favourite method of sustainable commuting: the bicycle.
Environment
Who's the Greenest Ward? Toronto Hydro's City-Wide Challenge
Energy conservation is big this year: first it was Earth Hour, then the OPA brought in Ed Begley Jr and now Toronto Hydro has launched the city-wide challenege Count Me In Toronto. Toronto's 44 wards are pitted against each other, dueling for top conservation honours, and Ward 30 (Toronto Danforth) is leading the pack - with 8 people signed up.The idea is that residents sign up for one or all of four programs, most notably Spring Turn On and Keep Cool. The former encourages people to use CFLs and both this weekend and next lucky customers at Home Depot and Canadian Tire will receive one free (the rest of us will get discounts). Keep Cool earns you a $25 Home Depot gift card in exchange for an old but working room a/c unit.
The challenge also considers those who sign up for peaksaver and the refrigerator roundup, and Hydro users who participate in all four programs will help their ward earn the green energy retrofit Toronto Hydro is dangling as a prize. Individuals who sign up, though, are eligible to win one of five MacBooks.
Which makes we wonder, will people sign up because they should be conserving energy, or because they want a MacBook?
