COURTESY MARTIN REIS

Have you ever cursed the mess of mulberries on the sidewalk from mid-June through early August? Did you know these mulberries are actually delicious?  Read more

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Environment would benefit from a system that’s not a winner takes all

Big congratulations to Jessica Bell who is now representing us in University-Rosedale at Queen’s Park.  Read more

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Assessing the parties through an environmental lens

At the risk of sounding like a single-issue voter, it will be no surprise to anyone who has read any of my columns that the environment ranks high. There are lots of other issues, such as healthcare, debt, economic growth, but all that is moot as we stare mass extinction in the face. If you think I’m being hyperbolic, you aren’t paying attention. Before his death, Stephen Hawking gave humanity another two centuries before we’re toast. To me, the long-term survival of our species trumps any short-term issue we are facing at the moment, no matter how pressing it might seem.  Read more

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May shift to women only next year

By Geremy Bordonaro

A temporary drop-in homeless shelter at 348 Davenport Rd. is once again home to controversy. Some local residents say that there’s been a noticeable increase in violence and drugs in the area since the shelter — publicly supported by Joe Cressy (Ward 20, Trinity-Spadina) and the Annex Residents’ Association — opened in January.  Read more

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The energy lost in the pretense of plastic recycling

By Terri Chu

With the celebration of Earth Day behind us and the provincial election before us, it seemed appropriate to rerun Greenings from February 2016. Writing that three Rs are not all equal, Chu is cautious about playing fast and loose with energy generation, and argues that the Wynne government needs to get it right when it comes to all things green.  Read more

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Toronto is busy planning for yesteryear

Mayor John Tory doesn’t think much of me. He doesn’t even acknowledge my existence. In fact, he said there are incredibly few of me.

The “me” in this case is a parent without a car.  Read more

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The danger of equating pop culture with the periodic table

This neighbourhood is known for great people and I’m lucky enough to call many of them neighbours. I had the pleasure of joining some friends for dinner recently. After dinner, the gracious host pulled out a game and continued their after-dinner tradition of playing the latest trivia game they received for Christmas.  Read more

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Invest in transit and public works, not roads and parking

If all goes according to plan — and with the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) it never does — Torontonians should enjoy time-based transfers starting in August. It’s great news for transit users but critics — who claim it’s an unfair subsidy — are livid.  Read more

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Governments must move sooner to address issues big and small

By Terri Chu

If it’s nobody’s problem, does it really need to be solved?

Scientists are once again sounding the alarm about the untenable amount of plastic in the world’s oceans. It is estimated that there will soon be more plastic in the ocean than fish. This is a problem. But whose problem is it anyway?  Read more

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Researchers shouldn’t have to spend their time asking for money

The federal government recently announced that it provided $1.6 million to the Polar Environment Atmospheric Research Laboratory (PEARL) to great fanfare. It is enough to keep it running through 2019. It seems like such a paltry amount considering we spent half a billion dollars to throw ourselves a Canada150 party. Really? $1.6 million is worthy of pats on the back, or the endless self-congratulatory tweets from Liberal members of Parliament. For a government that just appointed an engineer and astronaut as Governor General, this feels like a slap in the face for science.  Read more

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What’s left out is just as important

The data is in on the Bloor Street pilot bike lanes, and it seems to support keeping the lanes. (Now that the bike lanes are in, even on a pilot basis, it’s a little surreal to me that anyone actually wants to pull them out.) But speaking of data, it’s worth thinking about which data gets included, as well as how the data itself is interpreted.  Read more

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We need to plant more than we harvest

As we turn our attention to going back to school, it’s nice to reflect on the ways we can reduce the waste that we generate during the school year.  Read more

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Delicious mulberries were at the height of season in early July for the Annex Residents’ Association’s (ARA) first ever Mulberry Festival. Organized by Trees Please, an ARA working group, and sponsored by the association and COBS Bread, the event drew about 70 to 80 participants who celebrated the urban forest and a love of mulberries.  Read more

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