Concerned about Climate Change?
For those looking at getting more involved in climate activism, I encourage you to review, support and connect with the many organizations that are active on climate issues.
Foundation for Environmental Stewardship
Toronto Environmental Alliance
Coffee Cups Now Accepted in Blue Box
As of July 3, 2024, Toronto residents are able to recycle beverage cups at home and other eligible locations. Full details here.
Please follow these instructions for easier sorting and processing at the recycling facility:
Rinse the cup: Empty your cup of any remaining liquids and give them a quick rinse to remove any residue.
Separate components: Remove lids, sleeves, and any other accessories from the cups and place them loosely in your recycling bin.
Loose placement: Place the cups loosely in the recycling bin, without stacking or nesting them together.
Single-Use and Takeaway Items Bylaw
On March 1, 2024, the City of Toronto’s Single-Use and Takeaway Items Bylaw took effect. The bylaw includes:
- An “ask-first/by-request” approach for items such as straws, napkins, stir sticks, utensils, condiments, shopping bags (except those for bakery or prescription items)
- Compatibility of paper bags with the City’s diversion programs (i.e., no metal grommets or plastic handles)
- Acceptance of reusable shopping bags and reusable beverage cups provided by customers at retail business establishments
Be part of the solution. Try one of these sustainable swaps to help reduce your everyday waste:
|
Disposable Item |
Sustainable Solution |
|
Coffee cup Disposable cutlery Plastic or foil wrap Coffee pod Plastic produce bag Dryer sheet Bottled water Disposable bag |
Reusable travel mug Say ‘no’ if you don’t need them Reusable container Brewed coffee or reusable coffee pod Mesh or reusable bag Dryer ball Reusable water bottle Tote or reusable bag |
CLIMATE CORNER
The Climate Crisis is Here - We Need to Adapt
By Seniors for Climate Action Now!
When we look at catastrophic events like floods and fires, our first reaction is: How can we prevent this from happening? Our second reaction: How do we reduce the damage?
Mitigation refers to preventing climate warming by reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Adaptation refers to preparing for these inevitable catastrophes as the climate warms.
Sadly, we have become familiar with damage from drought, floods and wildfires. We have referred before to the need to change the way we get our energy, by phasing out fossil fuels: methane, gas and oil. We have also talked about changing our building practices to plan for less concrete and more natural spaces.
The deadline to reverse the increase in greenhouse gas emissions is 2030, a few short years away. But in the meantime, wildfires are raging.
Adapting to Wildfires
Wildfires in Ontario do not just pose a threat to the people and habitats living in the danger zone: they also threaten firefighters. According to a Global News report (April 2024), Ontario faces serious crew shortages. “With the firefighting season now formally underway…just 80 per cent of the province’s crews are staffed across the province.”
CBC reports that in 2022, an estimated 90,000 out of 126,000 firefighters across the country are volunteers, making up over 70 per cent. Adapting to wildfires means we need more paid firefighters. We should not have to depend on volunteers, especially during the wildfire season.
We also need to increase reliance on “cultural burning”. CBC reports that some Indigenous communities are trying to mitigate the risk by burning stretches of dried-out lands. This prescribed burning isn’t new for Indigenous communities; it’s a practice that dates back generations to protect lands from the threat of wildfires and spur the regrowth of trees, plants and grasses.
Spadina-Fort York is far from the wildfires burning in the Western part of the country. But last year, smoke drifted from the north to Toronto – and then further south into the US. Seniors and people with respiratory problems are particularly vulnerable to the particulates in smoke. Adaptation means governments will once again need to supply N95 masks – this time for drifting smoke.
A private members’ bill tabled on May 16 called for Ontario to adopt specific recommendations regarding wildfire preparation. Spadina-Fort York’s residents need protection.
Heat Waves
Other catastrophic events are heat waves. In 2021 we added the term, “heat domes” to our climate disaster vocabulary along with “atmospheric rivers”. Heat has a major impact in schools, childcare centres, hospitals and nursing homes. It poses a serious threat to seniors, people who are unhoused and outdoor workers.
In British Columbia’s 2021 heat wave, more than 600 people died. 67 per cent were aged 70 or older; and 56 per cent lived alone. With the high number of tenants in Spadina-Fort York, many living in apartments with no air conditioning, City Council could consider a maximum indoor temperature bylaw along with other heat relief actions for tenants.
Adults of all ages work out of doors in construction and road maintenance. We also have to consider the needs of migrant farmworkers who have little legal protection. They all require adequate breaks in a cool area and access to drinking water.
What is Toronto doing?
Aside from the City’s climate plan, TransformTO, the Board of Health has written two reports with recommendations: Public Health Impacts of Climate Change in Toronto: A Path Forward for Responding to the Climate Crisis and Climate Change and the Role of Public Health. It will be up to City Council to discuss and implement their recommendations.
Council can also strengthen building codes to make homes and other buildings more resilient. They can increase green space to reduce the impact of heat. Public spaces like playgrounds should have an increased tree cover. And we need more cooling centres that are open longer hours.
What can you do?
If you live in an apartment, when the temperature reaches 30+ degrees, consider designating floor captains to check on people. Who are the vulnerable people in your neighbourhood? Can a group of neighbours organize to check on them during a heat wave?
If you own a house, find out if it will sustain a green roof. Give your trees a lot of love. When we have green roofs, urban green space, building insulation and water conservation, all of these measures will work together towards both mitigation and adaptation. Let’s get serious.
SCAN! Toronto is a regional group of Seniors for Climate Action Now!
Earth Day Summit 2024 Recording
Learn more about waste management in condos, single-use bylaws in Toronto, benefits of heat pumps, lithium-ion battery safety, and more! Watch the recording here.
Earth Day Summit 2023 Recording
MPP Glover and his guests discuss saving the Greenbelt, EV charging stations in condos, and building innovations. Watch the recording here.
