How the Conservation team is helping tenants to live more sustainably

In recent months, the Conservation team has been organizing lobby intercepts to engage tenants living at different Toronto Community Housing Corporation (TCHC) and Toronto Seniors Housing Corporation buildings. The goal of these intercepts was to raise awareness about the impact of individual actions and behaviour on the environment. The team also gave tenants tips on how they can protect the environment from pollution.

Sharing water and energy saving tips

The team visited several different communities across the city, including 375 Bleecker Street, 2067 Islington Avenue, 175 Cummer Avenue, 3485 St. Clair Avenue, and 30 Falstaff Avenue.

During the first round of engagement in these communities, the Conservation team shared information on water and energy savings with tenants. They also handed out reusable bags, water bottles, LED bulbs, power cords and other items to help tenants reduce energy waste and consumption.

The second round of lobby intercepts focused on water conservation. The team highlighted simple practices like turning off the tap while brushing teeth or soaping dishes, washing full loads of clothes in cold water and air-drying clothes, and choosing showers over baths. These actions can collectively save millions of litres of water! The team also reminded tenants to always report water leaks to the Client Care Centre or their Superintendent so staff can address the water loss. At the end of engagement, tenants received reusable bags, water bottles, and educational materials with water saving tips.

Here are a few conservation tips that can help you make a big difference:

• Turn off the lights when you are not in a room. Use LED lights, as they consume much less energy than regular bulbs and can last much longer.
• Did you know that electronics keep using energy even when turned off? Keep electronics unplugged when not in use or use power bars (with surge protector) to keep them off.
• Turn off the tap when brushing your teeth, washing hands, or soaping dishes.
• Report leaks to the Client Care Centre at 416-981-5500. TCHC buildings lose millions of litres of water each year due to leaks.
• Only flush toilet paper down the toilet. Other items like cigarette butts, baby and facial wipes, cotton buds, floss, medicine, and cat litter can build up in pipes and cause clogs over time.
• Participate in water equipment upgrades (when available) like low-flush toilets, showerheads, aerators.
• Use reusable items, like reusable bags, water bottles or coffee cups whenever possible. Avoid single-use plastic items like straws, cutlery, and takeaway containers.
• Make sure to properly sort and recycle your waste. You can download the City of Toronto’s TOwaste app to make waste disposal and sorting easy! The app is available in the Google or Apple app store.

Learn more about conversation

The Conservation team is planning another round of engagement in the same five communities for July to November. The team will focus on waste management and energy conservation, and will distribute waste kits, reusable items, and energy saving equipment. The team will also give tenants information on how to minimize waste, proper recycling, and reducing energy consumption, and how they can do this without affecting their comfort and health at home.

We are all affected directly by excessive pollution and damage to the environment, as are future generations. By being aware of how we consume resources, use water and energy, and by embracing reusable items, we can collectively drive significant changes.