A Greener Life

Habitat for Humanity Toronto has three nifty ReStore locations in the city (East York, Etobicoke and North York) where the shelves are stocked with gently used (and new) renovation supplies donated by homeowners and businesses.

It’s definitely a lessen in the three Rs as it allows those looking to make a change at their home to go the green route (and cheaper route) by using something preloved. For those looking to renovate their kitchen or bathroom, it gives you the opportunity to be greener by ensuring your old items don’t end up in landfill.

Those donating to the store can even get a tax receipt for their donation and for big projects the kind folks at the ReStore will even assemble a team to help you tear down or rip out your donation. They take everything from the smallest hardware to fixtures to even whole kitchens. And by shopping at or donating a ReStore you can feel good about the environmental benefit, as well as the social benefit as the ReStores pay for the administrative and fundraising costs of Habitat for Humanity Toronto so 100 per cent of donations can go directly towards building homes for families living in need.

One of my favourite things to do when I was a child was visit the library. I’d browse the children’s area for what seemed like an hour searching for books I’d yet to discover. I’d inevitably amass a large stack of a dozen or so and have them all read within the three week lending period. (I guess that made me a bit of a geek and also foretold of a future career using words). It never occurred to my nine-year-old self that reading the tales of The Baby-sitters Club was also an act of green.

Using libraries is a great way to be green (and save money). A book - or DVD, CD or magazine - gets used over and over again making for a great use of resources. Imagine how much energy and trees are saved if one book is checked out 100 times instead of those 100 people driving to the store to buy their own copy. (Sure it doesn’t help the writer’s bank account, but that’s a sacrifice I’m willing to make…). The Toronto Public Library is one of the best library systems in the world. It carries millions of titles ranging from bestsellers to bridal magazines to blockbuster movies. If your local branch doesn’t have what you’re looking for, they’ll bring it in for you from another branch. (It has nearly 100!)

Your library card: it’s a way to be green and save green.

A interesting, practical and community building project is gathering steam in Toronto. The Sharing Backyards program, which launched locally at the end of June is drawing a lot of interest with people signing onto the website from Scarborough to East York to the Annex and beyond. The concept is simple and easy - if you have a backyard you’re interested in sharing you sign up online (your location marked with a tree) and if you’re looking for a backyard to grow fresh veggies and herbs in you put your request on the website (marked with binoculars).

Once people partner up it’s up to them to figure out an arrangement that works for them. Josee, an East York resident, signed up to share her yard. She’s not using all of it and would be happy to share with someone who lives in an apartment or otherwise doesn’t have access to a yard. She’s only recently had her own yard to garden in so she sees the project as an opportunity to “pay it forward.”

The initiative started in Victoria, B.C. and has spread to cities across North America - Los Angeles, Winnipeg, Thunder Bay. It’ a great way to get fresh and organic food - and food doesn’t get much more local than your neighbours yard. Now I just need to learn how to garden…

With garbage piling up in neighbourhoods around the city, it is quite fitting that Green Neighbours 21 is hosting a screening of the documentary Garbage! The Revolution Starts at Home on Monday at 7 p.m. (at the Anglican Church of St. Michael & All Angels, 611 St. Clair Ave. at Wychwood Avenue). In the Andrew Nisker film, a Toronto family is asked to keep all - yes, ALL - of their garbage for three months. Every pop can, cereal box, newspaper and other recyclables and every bit of trash were saved in bags in the garage. (To avoid smells, the organic waste was weighed each week and then allowed to be picked up by the city).

Aside from the ability to have organics carted away, this is pretty much the situation Toronto residents are in right now (well, those not braving long lines to toss their trash at neighbourhood dump sites). And so maybe, just maybe Toronto residents who see the trash piling up at their own home and at parks and community centres around the city won’t just get angry at striking workers or the mayor, but they’ll also think about the source of all this material.

The family in Garbage was shocked at how much garbage and recycling they produced (while recycling is better than garbage, it still takes energy to make the item and to recycle it so the best option is to try to REDUCE) and while they admitted it might not get them to completely change their lifestyle, it did make them more aware of their consumption habits.

More than one person I’ve spoken to since the start of the strike has commented on how quickly the garbage piled up. The sight of people standing in line with two or three bags of trash to dispose of on Day ONE or TWO was puzzling. How did these people have so much trash so soon into the strike? Toronto residents have made great strides in the past decade on reducing the amount of waste we send to landfill, but maybe now without the luxury of it being out of sight and out of mind we can make the extra effort to reduce it even just a little bit more.

The City of Toronto worker’s strike has been good for the worm business. Cathy Nesbitt of Cathy’s Crawly Composters (probably more widely known as ‘the worm lady’) said business has been “crazy” since the strike by 30,000 inside and outside workers - including those who collect garbage, recycling and green bin material - began June 22. Summer is usually a slow time in the worm business, she shared, but not when there’s a strike on in Canada’s biggest city. People are looking to find a solution to the organic waste piling up in garages around the city.

Vermicomposting can turn organic material such as bread, fruit and vegetable peels, coffee grinds, and tea bags into some of the most fertile compost around, “black gold,” as it’s known. And if done correctly - no meat, dairy or sauces for these wiggly guys - it does it all without any odour. The red wiggler worms can eat up to half their weight in material each day - two pounds of worms could turn six pounds of food scrapes into black gold every week. Those looking for responsible ways to cope with the strike can also check out setting up a traditional backyard composter, you know, if they have a yard.

After being briefly canceled because of the strike by Toronto city workers, the farmers’ markets at area civic centres are now being re-opened. Thanks to the understanding and support of city councillors and city staff and both CUPE locals involved in the current labour dispute, allowances have been made so that as of Thursday, July 2, Farmers’ Markets at Toronto’s Civic Centres can resume operations.

Many people who try to eat local depend on these markets to provide them with the opportunity to purchase fresh Ontario products. The markets feature fresh Ontario fruits and vegetables, artisanal cheeses, delicious baking and a full array of Ontario specialties at the markets.

Markets:
Metro Hall: Thursdays, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., resumes July 2
North York Civic Centre: Thursdays 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., resumes July 2
Etobicoke Civic Centre: Saturdays 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. resumes July 4
Scarborough Civic Centre: Tuesdays 8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., resumes July 7
East York Civic Centre: Tuesdays 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., resumes July 7
Nathan Phillips Square: Wednesdays 8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., resumes July 8