Some time in 1991 or 1992, TEA’s first-ever newsletter was produced. It was called TEA Leaves. There were no computer design programs, just a bunch of volunteers who wrote and illustrated it by hand, photocopied it and distributed it to TEA supporters by Canada Post and at events. TEA Leaves chronicled the successes a very young TEA had and became an information source for Torontonians who wanted a greener Toronto.

On September 9th TEA’s Climate Change Campaigner, Dusha Sritharan, appeared before the City of Toronto Parks and Environment Committee to talk about the recent heat waves that have been affecting the city. She addressed the steps that need to be taken to ensure the safety of the city’s residents and green spaces in the face of a changing climate.

Cycle Toronto, the Toronto Environmental Alliance (TEA) and Walk Toronto applaud the Federal Government for its announcement last week that Toronto is eligible for up to $840 million for sustainable transportation infrastructure, including funds for cycling and walking as well as public transit. 

Najiba and Karthika worked in the Malvern community in Scarborough-Rouge Park this summer to discuss waste management strategies and help communities reach their zero waste goals.

Our summer staff members Billie Rose and Monica reflect on their time with the INHALE Project and how that impacted their understandings of environmental change and community engagement.

In the rapidly densifying community of South Etobicoke, the windows on the lake offer an escape with beautiful vistas and public green spaces. 

Guest Blog by: Michelle Sawka - Project Manager, Green Infrastructure Ontario Coalition 

Toronto’s urban forest touches most corners of the city, and you probably know some parts of it very well. It includes all of the trees and shrubs growing along streets, in front and back yards, in parks, and in ravines and natural areas.

This summer, Torontonians have been looking for creative ways to keep cool during the heat, haze, and humidity. Already this summer, 12 heat warnings and 7 extended heat warnings have been declared in Toronto. As a City that’s learning to cope with this unusual heat, we know that this is just a taste of what we can expect in future years because of climate change.

Meet Jane: one of TEA's dedicated Canvassers. Jane explains why she loves working for TEA and gives us an inside scoop on canvassing in the City of Toronto.

The City is currently considering whether and how to license landlords and rental units in an effort to improve living conditions for the half of Torontonians who live in rental housing. This is not only an opportunity to improve living conditions, but also to address some important environmental issues.

For anyone who thinks governments (including the Province) have invested enough money in meeting the transit needs of Toronto and our surrounding neighbours, think again. A new report shows that while governments have already made significant investments, much more needs to be done to finish building and operating a regional transit system.

Tucked away in the Humber Bay Shores is a unique blend of greenery and condominiums. If you look closely you will notice a concrete shed colourfully decorated with butterflies that represent the restoration efforts being made by Humber Bay Butterfly Habitat (HBBH). 

Last summer, volunteers from South Etobicoke helped gather air quality data as part of the INHALE Project. All of this data is now available on an interactive map that shares the results with the community to spark conversations about a range of clean air solutions. Urban gardening initiatives are one example that help combat air quality issues and support community food needs.

Scarborough's Golden Touch Dry Cleaners was just convicted and fined $10,000 for failing to send toxic 'perc' wastes to a waste management facility. 

Toronto really is ready for zero waste - in the last year, we’ve been thrilled with the interest in zero waste solutions! Thank you!

This month, Toronto City Council had a marathon meeting before their summer break and debated major issues that shape our city services. The 2017 City Budget and the Scarborough subway were hot topics, but other transportation issues like the Road Safety Plan and the Waterfront Transit Plan also got some attention. Toronto passed a new and improved Waste Strategy that embraces TEA’s zero waste agenda and Councillor Bailão is taking on smelly neighbours with a proposal to control odours from Toronto manufacturers.

Thanks to TEA's work and the action of our supporters, Toronto's Waste Strategy has a long term goal of zero waste. 

Last month, Premier Wynne announced Ontario’s new 5-Year Climate Change Action Plan. The plan sets out the key steps the province will take to transition to a low-carbon future. These actions will help achieve the greenhouse gas reduction targets of 80% by 2050.

Every summer the TEA team grows thanks to financial support from the Canada Summer Jobs program. By hiring university students with an interest in community engagement, TEA is able to reach more neighbourhoods on issues like waste and air quality.

Inspired by the amazing zero waste success story of 430 Mayfair on the Green, Mayor Tory and Toronto's Solid Waste department just launched the Towering Challenge, a friendly challenge to all other multi-residential buildings in Toronto to get creative to reduce waste.