Litter is a growing issue, especially this year: as more of us spend time outdoors and in parks, it’s hard to miss the increasing amount of litter and plastic in public spaces. This fall, community groups and individuals across Toronto and Ontario will be getting out to parks and green spaces to clean up litter and preserve our beautiful and natural spaces. 

But litter cleanups aren’t enough - we need to change the system that caused the pollution in the first place. 

As the Province of Ontario considers changes to the Blue Box program, more than 50 environmental and civil society groups - including the Toronto Environmental Alliance - released a joint statement calling on the government to address the failings of its recycling system and transition Ontario to a circular economy. 

New regulations on recycling and Ontario’s Blue Box are currently in development. This is a critical, once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to build a low-carbon, circular economy. However, there are significant risks if it isn’t done right.

As of August 5th, masks are mandatory in common areas of Toronto apartment buildings and condos. By using a reusable cloth mask, you’ll be protecting yourself and others while reducing the amount of disposable PPE that ends up in our landfills or in the environment. Check out our tips and resources on reusable face masks. 

As part of the Toronto Climate Action Network, we put forward a joint submission to Toronto’s Office of Recovery and Rebuild. 

TEA's Executive Director Emmay Mah shares her reflections on allyship.

At a time when the struggle for racial justice is at the forefront of public discourse, environmental organizations like the Toronto Environmental Alliance (TEA) are compelled to reflect on their roles and responsibilities in addressing the inequity, violence, and systemic oppression experienced by Black, Indigenous and other racialized peoples.

Emmay Mah, Executive Director of the Toronto Environmental Alliance, sat down for a virtual conversation with David Miller, Director of International Diplomacy with C40 Cities and former Mayor of Toronto. Watch the recording. 

The latest blog by our Waste Campaigner Emily Alfred. 

As the Mayor, Councillors and Toronto’s new Office of Recovery and Rebuild begin their work on Toronto’s recovery, local organizations representing tens of thousands of people from across the city, including the Toronto Environmental Alliance, submitted a letter to the Mayor and City Council that outlines ten principles for a bold, green, and just recovery. 

This discussion was the first in a new online series by Toronto Environmental Alliance to envision a just and green recovery for Toronto. Watch the video recording.

A new Task Force was struck by Mayor Tory to develop a recovery plan for Toronto. We sent a letter to the Mayor and Councillors with recommendations for a green and just recovery plan. 

During the COVID-19 pandemic, our lifestyles have changed and this affects the type and amount of waste created at home. To support high-rise residents and building staff, TEA's Zero Waste High-Rise Project team created a list of tips and printable signs/posters to help manage and reduce waste during this time.

Climate disruption, environmental destruction, and the current COVID-19 pandemic are complex problems that require multi-pronged solutions. During this unprecedented time, what can we collectively learn? How do decisions taken today alter the future trajectory of our society and our planet?

Today, the Toronto Environmental Alliance joined over 80 health, environmental, faith and labour groups in urging Prime Minister Trudeau to ensure that governmental support for the ailing oil and gas sector - expected next week - focuses on a just transition for workers and a bold shift to a clean, low-carbon economy.

A message from our Executive Director Emmay Mah. 

Toronto City Council passed its first City Budget since declaring a climate emergency. Read the Toronto Environmental Alliance’s analysis and recap of this year’s City Budget process.

February 19th, 2020

TEA welcomes Council motion to assess new commercial parking levy to fund emergency climate action but urges scaled-up action in City’s TransformTO 2021-2023 climate plan.

We were at the City Budget Committee meetings to speak up on climate action in the 2020 City Budget - the first budget since the City of Toronto declared a climate emergency and committed to accelerated action. 

In October, Toronto declared a Climate Emergency - and promised accelerated action to make Toronto zero-carbon by 2050. A first test of the City’s commitment is the 2020 City Budget, which was released last week. Read TEA’s assessment - and find out how to get involved in the budget process.  

On December 10th, TEA held the 2019 Greener City Celebration - our annual end-of-year party that brings together our community to celebrate what we’ve accomplished that year. Take a look at some of the photos and highlights from the evening.