Solutions

What you can do to reduce your environmental footprint

Plant trees and native plants in your garden
Eliminate or reduce the size of your lawn and plant ecograss or low-maintenance flower beds with drought-resistant indigenous plants
Reduce the amount of impermeable surfaces around your house: instead of an asphalt or concrete driveway and footpath, consider flagstones, gravel, or permeable pavers that will allow water to filter into the groundwater
Get a rain barrel

Unplug electronic devices when not in use. You can borrow ETCAG’s energy-meter to see which of your appliances are drawing electricity even when they are not in use
At home or at the laundromat, wash clothes in cold water
Use a clothesline to hang clothes for drying instead of using a dryer, when possible
Make your home more energy efficient: buy EnergyStar appliances; get an energy audit and caulk and insulate; replace incandescent bulbs with compact fluorescents in your most used lights
In winter turn your thermostat down 2 or more degrees; in summer turn your air conditioner off as much as possible – and then turn it up 2 or more degrees
Purchase your electricity from renewable sources (such as Bullfrog Power) or consider solar
Replace your gas lawnmower with an electric lawnmower, or even better a push-mower if you have as small lawn
Check the size of your environmental footprint at www.ecofoot.org

Take public transit, walk, cycle or carpool
If you own a car, keep it tuned up, don’t idle, and consider a more fuel efficient vehicle
Fly less – business travelers can use videoconferencing and web-casting. Consider vacationing closer to home.

Eat more local food (to save the fuel used in transport), eat organic when possible, eat less meat (start with once per week for any of these choices)
Reduce your personal waste: shop with reusable cloth bags; avoid Styrofoam packaging and over-packaged goods; avoid disposable coffee cups (use china or a travel mug)
Reduce your waste at home: compost and use your green bin as much as you can; recycle cans, bottles, glass, paper, and recyclable plastics; donate clothing, furniture and other small items to the Salvation Army, Goodwill, Value Village and reusable building materials to Freecycle or Habitat for Humanities
Before buying something new, stop and consider:Iis this made locally or shipped a long distance? Will it require more energy? Do I really need a.... bigger TV/wine cooler/new couch....?

Install low-flow tap attachments on your showerhead, and taps in your bathroom(s) and kitchen.
Visit the City of Toronto or their website to find out about rebates on installation of a low-flush toilet, or a rain barrel to collect rainwater for your garden.
Use a sprinkler or soaker hose to water your lawn in the morning. Don’t over-water – 1 inch (2.5cm) per week is sufficient.
Do not hose down your driveway to clean it – use a broom to sweep it instead

Talk to your neighbours, family, friends and coworkers about these important environmental issues
Start an environmental committee at your workplace
Get informed! Read a book about climate change and other issues, check websites like www.davidsuzuki.org, www.toronto.ca/environment, www.weconserve.ca/climatestrategy.html and many others
Write a letter about your environmental concerns to a politician, your local councillor, the Mayor, a CEO, etc.
Consider joining an environmental group to contribute to your local community – find listings in your local newspaper, community centre, or library
Contact ETCAG for more information