How Toronto Is Leading the Way to a Greener Future

One of North America’s Cleanest Cities

Because our 2016 Norwex Canadian National Convention will take place soon in Toronto, we wanted to take an insider’s look at the world’s most multicultural city and share what also makes it so eco-friendly.

Toronto is Canada’s largest city, and about six million people live in the Greater Toronto Area (“GTA”). Of these, more than a third reside in Toronto proper. While keeping a large city like this “green” is sure to present some challenges, Toronto makes it look easy. Here’s how:

• Toronto has trees (and they’re not all maples)! With an estimated 26% – 28% of the city currently under the leafy cover of its tree canopy, Toronto has at least 116 different tree species and more than ten million individual trees. And the city has plans to add even more to this number (about 1.3 million new trees) over the next four to five decades.
• Toronto’s urban forest is a link to nature, providing a variety of esthetic as well as more tangible benefits. For example, the urban forest saves city-dwellers approximately $10.2 million a year in residential heating and cooling costs. Additionally, Toronto’s trees store about 1.1 million metric tonnes of carbon—that’s the yearly equivalent of 733,000 car emissions!
• But you really don’t even need a car in Toronto. According to LivingInCanada.com, with its network of steetcars, hybrid-electric buses, underground subway system, and rail and bike paths, “Toronto is one of the very few North American cities in which people can choose not to own a car without suffering major inconveniences.”



• In 2015, Treehugger.com ranked Toronto 2nd (after Chicago) among Canada’s and the United States’ cleanest cities. Toronto’s city-wide Green Bin program, for example, keeps about 200 kgs (440 lbs.) of organic waste per household from going into landfills.
• Toronto has a system of stunning natural ravines that offer an escape from the urban landscape as well as plenty of opportunities for hiking, biking, fishing and photography.
• A great place to work, Toronto is home to three of Canada’s 2016 Greenest Employers: Desjardins Group/Mouvement des caisses Desjardins, Home Depot of Canada, and RBC.
• The city offers 50 km (31 miles) of beautiful Lake Ontario waterfront, which includes parks, marinas, waterfront trails and beaches—including 8 “Blue Flag” beaches, recognized worldwide for high standards in water quality. And deep under the water, Lake Ontario is also home to the world’s first underwater compressed air energy storage system, designed to help reduce reliance on fossil fuels.
• Toronto’s 2007 Climate Change Action Plan is making significant progress toward its goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 80% by 2050. In 2012, the city announced that it had already reduced emissions by 25% compared to 1990 levels.
• Toronto was also North America’s first city to require green roofs on new development. Besides being beautifully eye-catching, green roofs can be a good source of locally grown food and they also help to reduce stormwater runoff and energy consumption as well as the urban heat island effect.
• Eco-friendly furniture? Sustainably sourced wood and reclaimed materials blend to create beautiful home furnishings in Toronto. Who knew?

Did You Know?
Also known as “T.O.,” “T-Dot,” “Hogtown,” “The Queen City,” “The Big Smoke,” “Toronto the Good” and “The Six” among others, “Toronto” comes from an Iroquois word meaning “where there are trees standing in the water.”

Have you ever visited or lived in Toronto? We’d love to hear about it. Just drop us a line in the comment box below.

Resources:
Moving 2 Canada: Living in Toronto
Toronto: Every Tree Counts: A Portrait of Toronto’s Urban Forest
Toronto’s Tree Canopy [PDF File Download]
Living in Toronto
Treehugger: 28 cleanest cities in the world
Toronto: Green Bin Organics
YouTube: Toronto Ravines
Canada’s Top 100: Canada’s Greenest Employers 2016
IFPress: Canadian beaches and marinas receive Blue Flag certification
Institute of Mechanical Engineers: World’s first underwater air energy storage system launched
Toronto: Green City, Green Leader
Corporate Knights: Washington, Toronto were N.A. green roof leaders in 2014: Report
Organic Lifestyle: Toronto based Modern & Contemporary eco-friendly furniture designers
Wikipedia: Toronto Nicknames

Related posts:

Cast a Vote for Your Favorite 2016 Blog Post 2016 Blog of the Year Small Steps = Great Strides in 2016! Fresh, Organic Produce Is on the Rise!