In April, Franz Hartmann, Executive Director of the Toronto Environmental Alliance (TEA), gave talks at two community meetings hosted by Green 13 and Green Neighbours 21 on ‘Getting Ready for a Hotter and Wetter Toronto’.  He spoke to dozens of attendees about a first-of-its-kind report commissioned by the City of Toronto which models and predicts expected weather changes by 2040.

“The results are very scary. We're not ready,” says Hartmann. He means the predicted and dramatic increase in summer temperatures.

Our current infrastructure, especially electricity, is not set up to handle large spikes in demand, which hotter summers and greater air conditioning usage will cause as AC becomes a necessity in every household. Highrise residents and the elderly will be hit especially hard if the system fails and blackouts become a regular occurrence.

Whether you believe in or deny climate change, man-made or not, doesn’t matter one tiddly bit; what matters is the fact that significant weather changes are already upon us, and that we need to expect and prepare for them, regardless of their cause.

Hartmann’s audience was frustrated at how little attention City Hall has been giving to something so important. There, conversation is dominated by debates over a casino, an island airport expansion or the Mayor’s latest antics. In January the Toronto Environment Office presented the predicted changes to the Parks and Environment Committee. The report’s findings are based on global, regional, and local weather models and examine 30-year weather norms.

While extreme weather events are not uncommon, they typically occur only once every 100 years, i.e. the so-called 100-year-storm, flood or drought. What this study reveals, however, is a greater number of severe weather events happening more often. For example, within the past 12 years Toronto has seen three 100-year-storms, the highest summer rainfall ever in 2008, and the earliest heat wave last year. We can expect an average annual temperature increase of 4.4°C, milder winters with less snow but more rain, wetter summers with more intense storms and more heat waves and days over 30°C.

The implications of these extreme changes affect us all and in many ways.

• Insects and pests: Milder winters with less snow and frost enable pest insects to thrive and affect not only humans but other animals, trees and plants, and our food crops.

• Infrastructure: Increases in high winds, storms, floods and tornadoes cause destruction to residential homes, roads, bridges, power lines and sewers. Repairs are costly to homeowners, as well as our municipal and provincial budgets, and have implications for tax and insurance payers. The annual report on natural catastrophe losses produced by Munich Reinsurance (who insures insurance companies’ risk) Geo Risks Research, Natural Catastrophe Service, shows that since 1980 the number of severe or catastrophic meteorological (storms), hydrological (floods, mass movement) and climatological events (extreme temperatures, drought, forest fires) have been increasing steadily from just below 400 events in 1980 to 750 to 1,000 per year and rising since 1998.

• Health: Longer and more severe heatwaves and smog days increase the number of hospital visits, sick days from school or work, and deaths due to respiratory illness, heart and circulation, and other heat related sickness.

• Food: Late frosts, droughts, wet summers and wind damage can decimate food crops, affecting the wellbeing of farm animals and crop yields, which in turn raise our grocery and prepared food prices. Last year`s mild March followed by April frost killed early fruit blossoms and erased many local apple and peach crops across southern Ontario. In the US, the 2012 summer drought brought the biggest loss in its agricultural insurance history. Importing crops from other countries results in higher prices and raises other environmental factors of high ‘food miles’.

What the city is doing: Toronto Hydro, Toronto’s water, transportation, planning and housing departments and the Toronto Regional Conservation Authority (TRCA) are working together on adaptive measures through infrastructure management, preparing for and managing increased flooding, housing and cooling needs, peak demands on electricity, and the necessity and benefits of more trees and parks.

What we can do: Hartmann suggests we talk about these issues with friends and neighbours and collectively urge our politicians to take urgent action. Changes in our neighbourhood and across the city should include more permeable paving, green spaces, trees and shade to reduce local ‘heat island’ effects, green roofs or ‘cool’ roofs (flat roofs painted white to absorb less heat), disconnected downspouts, raingardens and bioswales to manage stormwater and less local car traffic and idling (I had to sneak that one in).

As a home owner, you can implement one or more of these suggestions yourself. For greater effect, mobilize neighbours on your street, join your local residents or neighbourhood association or a local environmental community group. Contact one of these local groups: Citizens for a Safe Environment, DECA, East End Sustainability Network, East Toronto Climate Action Group, your nearest ‘Friends of’ parks group or Greening Ward 32. Working together is easier and brings greater change sooner – and change will (have to) happen, ‘weather’ we like it or not.

If you would like to hear Franz Hartmann’s presentation, write to me – he will gladly present in the east end if we organize it.

Martina Rowley is a local environmental communicator 
martina@beachbusinesshub.ca 
647-208-1810

At numerous public meetings in the past months Beachers have voiced their concerns about the effects of increasing developments and greater density in our area. The fear focuses on already-strained infrastructure, traffic, parking and transit capacity. And let’s not forget pedestrian traffic.

Our concerns are valid, yet how much change to personal travel behaviours is taking place?

Every morning as I walk to work, I see more single-occupancy than multiple-occupancy vehicles driving out of the Beach (or through?). Twice a day for a 30-minute window or more, Kippendavie Avenue turns into an SUV parking lot outside Kew Beach Public School. Yet, at a recent public meeting, some of those same drivers voiced their discontent about the congestion on that street.

What about adverse health effects from traffic? A 2004 study by the Medical Officer of Public Health shows that each year, traffic pollution accounts for 440 premature deaths and 1,700 hospitalizations, with children experiencing more than 1,200 acute bronchitis and asthma episodes per year as a result. Those could be your children.

Transportation needs aside, our community needs to take some personal responsibility. The Beach is receiving much attention from senior City transportation and planning staff, so now is a good time for goodwill and solutions from our side.

Positive community action is a start. Of course there are parameters to keep in mind. Any significant street and sidewalk improvements to Queen Street, akin to Roncesvalles’ complete street renewal, are at least 10 years away. “Major improvements generally piggy-back on a planned infrastructure renewal because of the high cost,” Edward Birnbaum from Ward 32 councillor Mary-Margaret McMahon’s office explains. This is not something a community can afford on its own; it means creative approaches, incremental and behavioural changes are called for, not only in the interim but long-term.

Working on the ‘low-hanging fruit’ is what Adam Smith, coordinator of Ward 32 Transportation Committee, suggests. He is looking into getting left turns at traffic lights on Queen eliminated during rush hour. “If left-turning cars don’t block the streetcars and vehicles behind them, then traffic won’t back up the way it does,” he explains. “It just takes switching the traffic lights and putting up a few new road signs.”

There is no shortage of workable solutions from within the community, and by liaising with the City.

Motor Vehicles: Implementing no left turns at traffic lights along Queen Street during rush hour; reducing single-occupancy and local car trips by car-sharing or car-pooling (Erideshare.com), taking transit, or walking to local errands or taking children to school. Do you really need two vehicles?

Parking: Car-free days and providing ‘Park & Ride’ programs from outlying parking lots to reduce visitor car traffic (especially during the summer); selling that second car.

Walking: Sidewalk ‘bump-outs’ to widen sidewalks and improve pedestrian flow;  ‘Walking Schoolbus’ to walk kids to school in large groups – fun and healthier for everyone.

Cycling: Promoting safe cycling through programming and events, including car-free days.

Global cyclovía days (Spanish for ‘bicycle path’) have turned major city streets into car-free lanes for walking, cycling, rollerblading, and outdoor exercise classes. Started in Bogotá, Colombia, in the 1980s, these half-day closures draw 30 per cent of the city’s population and enliven streets and local businesses. Downtown City Councillor Kristyn Wong-Tam wants to bring cyclovía-type road closures to Toronto.

Several BIAs (Business Improvement Areas) have, in collaboration with local residents, businesses, and local City Councillors, introduced successful car-free days. For example, Celebrate Yonge brought four weeks of two-lane traffic closure for expanded sidewalks, cafés and patios, landscaped planter boxes, and renewed excitement and sales to Yonge Street businesses. Kensington Market’s Pedestrian Sundays have enabled pedestrian-friendly shopping from noon to 6 p.m. in August and September since 2004, also benefitting local store-owners.

Most European medieval towns or cities, with their restrictive, narrow cobble-stoned town centres, limit car traffic to deliveries and local residents, making walking from shop to shop so much safer, healthier and more enjoyable. People who walk are more likely to stop and shop.

In the Beach, we are already primed for road closures, as we celebrate them several times a year for the Easter parade, Jazz festival and marathons. They need not be as mighty but can be as much fun for the community and useful to local businesses.

At Councillor McMahon’s recent Traffic, Transit and Parking meeting, I offered to facilitate a public, positive, hands-on visioning activity (call it a design charette if you will). The aim will be a creative yet realistic session. So, dear neighbours, here’s a CALL TO ACTION: Let’s have a positive, creative vision for our neighbourhood and work towards solutions together. It will involve some changes in habits but it can be done!

If you have creative ideas, are an urban or landscape planner, architect, artist or someone who can draw or at least visualise ideas, or can otherwise contribute some time and energy to help plan and co-host such a future community engagement session, please email greeningward32@gmail.com. Members from Greening Ward 32 and the community Transportation Committee will see how and what community process we can create with help from our Councillor and the BIA.

Martina Rowley is a local environmental communicator
martina@beachbusinesshub.ca
647-208-1810

According to the Canadian Solar Industries Association (CanSIA), the Ontario`s Long-Term Energy Plan up to 2030 indicates the distribution of energy production. The lion’s share will come from nuclear power (46 per cent), followed by hydro-electricity (20 per cent), wind (10 per cent), and natural gas (7 per cent). The solar photovoltaic (PV) industry is set to add only 1.5 per cent of generation. It seems a miniscule slice of the energy-pie, yet the solar market has grown due to increased demand and reduced manufacturing cost.

In 2009 alone, the PV sector installed 62 megawatts-peak (MWp) in new capacity – a ninefold annual increase – and solar thermal (for hot water supply) grew 20 per cent.

Since many Beachers indeed care, there are several community solar projects underway and some exciting new developments, as mentioned briefly in my last column.

First out of the block was the Neighbourhood Unitarian Universalist Congregation (NUUC) on Hiawatha Road. Operational since September 2010, the 112 Sanyo PV (photovoltaic) modules from Canadian Solar Inc. have a capacity of 220 watts each for a total 25 kilowatt (kW).

Half of the $220,000 installation cost was covered by an interest-free loan through the City’s Live Green Toronto Capital Fund. The rest was raised through donations and sale of 110 debentures (i.e. debt securities representing borrowed funds that must be repaid) at $1000 each and 5 per cent annual interest. They sold like hotcakes! SolarVu software monitors the operation and energy output, which – through the Feed-In-Tariff (FIT) program from the Ontario Power Authority for renewable energy – earns them 71.2 cents per kilowatt hour (kWh) generated.

The NUUC was a finalist at the City’s 2010 Green Toronto Awards for environmental excellence. Rick Salay, Chair – Greening Committee, 416-686-6809, office@nuuc.ca

Currently, the most active is the Beach Community Energy Co-Operative Inc. (BCEC), a cooperative of neighbours and local residents working on a solar project for the roof of Kew Beach Public School.

Initially, the school applied for an education fund for roof repairs and some solar. The parent council envisioned adding more panels and formed a Sustainability Committee. Today, Kew Beach school has 20kW of solar photovoltaic (energy-generating) panels. Two solar thermal panels supply energy for hot water. Their FIT contract earns them around 80 cents per kWh [Exact number not available]. The BCEC’s 50kW project will earn 44 cents per kWh, due to recent changes to the program and today’s lower manufacturing cost of solar panels.

The difference between the two installations on the school is that BCEC’s will operate as a cooperative and provide community investment opportunities to locals. Planning assistance comes from the Community Power Services Group (CPSG), who helped the group secure development-stage funding and has been retained as project manager.

The BCEC Board of seven has already proven perseverance and creativity, coming from their varied professions in, e.g. law, sustainability, communications, as well as architecture. They could use additional members, so do get in touch!

Teresa Miller, vice president of the Board, is positive and, “excited about the potential for community power and to control our own destiny.” She points out that, “Having local power can help avoid blackouts and provide more sustainability in our own neighbourhood.”

They face an urgent challenge. The FIT program was relaunched on December 14 with only a small window to secure a contract by the January 18 deadline. Anyone can become a member; homeowners and renters. For documentation purposes the application must include 50 members who own property in Toronto. The $10 membership fees will be used to cover operating costs. Once a contract has been secured, members will be able to buy solar shares. Making money locally makes sense. “With RSPCs you often don’t know where your money goes,” Teresa muses.

So the pressure is on and they need your help! They will host a membership drive on January 9 and 10, from 7-9pm, at the Beach Business Hub, 2181 Queen St. East, #301. “We need to get our ponies all in a row,” says Teresa with urgency.

Saddle up and come out to support this local initiative. For more details or to join them, contact Teresa Miller, teresamiller@gmail.com, and follow Facebook.com/BCECInc.

Another initiative is that of the Beach United Church (BUC) at their Wineva Avenue location. Their Green Team’s $180,000 project is fully funded by the church. They have retained local solar contractor Solsmart Inc. The 165 panel, 41kW solar system is projected to generate an annual $24,000 throughout the 20-year FIT contract. The BUC Co-op also plans to operate as a not-for-profit cooperative and offer $10 membership fees. Unlike the BCEC, they will not offer equity or investment shares. Visit Beachunitedchurch.com/2012/09/solar-co-op or contact Ron Fitton, 416-691-8082.

All these community-led projects have the common goal of seeking to reduce their ‘carbon footprint’ by generating renewable energy. Now we need many bright or sunny days. Shine on, Father Sun, shine on!

Martina Rowley is a local environmental communicator.
martina@beachbusinesshub.ca

As a result, numerous ‘green groups’ and residents’ associations have a mandate that is partly or entirely focused on environmental issues and solutions. This paper is now honouring this dedication to what we hold so dearly.

Starting this month is a regular environmental column on a wide variety of issues and options. Topics will range from safer household and personal care products, eco renovations, and water preservation, to local renewable energy, transportation, tree preservation and replanting, and more.

My passion for dealing with environmental issues professionally goes back a couple of decades. Personally it goes back to my roots, growing up in rural West Germany. Human population 500, animal population 600 plus. As a child I begged for a pink piglet as a pet, witnessed the messy process of slaughter days yet enjoyed the delicious results, helped in the cow barn of my friends’ parents and my riding stable, was privy to a cow’s calving and saw a newborn horse filly stand and stagger about less than an hour after birth. I got sun-burned working in scorched fields, and an aching back and knees from days of grape-picking for our neighbours in their autumn vineyards. I saw where our fresh (raw) milk and cream came from, was aware of our dinners’ origins, helped work the soil of my friends’ parental farms, and learned how to drive on a tractor.

Although my first career took a different direction, the penny dropped eventually and I found my calling in environmental work. My studies, jobs, community engagement and volunteering have exposed me to the slew of challenges we face in protecting and improving our natural environment, while maintaining or bettering our own and others’ lives.

I will do my best to provide you with interesting, relevant, and readable columns. As a start, I want to introduce a number of local groups active in environmental awareness-raising and local projects. It is meant as a brief overview and is by no means a complete list.

Beach Community Energy Co-Operative Inc. (BCEC)
Solar project on Kew Beach Public School. Looking for board and team members. They will be offering investment opportunities to buy solar shares soon. Contact: Teresa Miller, teresamiller@gmail.com, or visit online at Facebook.com/BCECInc.

Beach United Church Green Team
They have hosted talks and workshops for their congregation on general environmental issues and reducing home energy consumption. Currently working on a solar cooperative to offer purchase of shares in their 165 panel (41 kW) solar system going onto their roof as part of current renovations. Contact: Ron Sitton, 416-691-8082.

East End Transition Enthusiasts (EETE) and Beach In Transition (BIT)
Neighbourhood groups of city-wide Transition Toronto. EETE plants and harvests from their backyard gardens, hosted a documentary film event, picked and preserved crab apples from Kew Gardens, and hosted info tables at local farmers’ markets. BIT is still a fledgling but plans to partner with the East End Sustainability Network for future film events and projects. Email the umbrella group at transitiontoronto@gmail.com.

East Toronto Climate Action Group (ETCAG)
Active in energy conservation projects, film screenings, eco fairs and other public events, environmental education programs for elementary schools, lobbying, and letter-writing. Received several environmental awards for a community garden and public realm beautification. Email contact@etcag.org, or visit www.etcag.org.

East End Sustainability Network (EESN)
Initiated by MPs Matthew Kellway and Craig Scott with support from leaders of GW32 and Citizens Climate Lobby. Seek to unite local groups and leaders on sustainability issues in the East End. Email matthew.kellway.c1a@parl.gc.ca.

Greening Ward 32 (GW32)
One of several groups resulting from Councillor McMahon’s town hall meetings in spring 2011. Activities so far: hosting an eco fair, planting a community garden at Kingston and Balsam, and participation in the EESN. Email greeningward32@gmail.com. A sub-group, Friends of Woodbine Park (FOWP), formed this spring to beautify the park, playground and other areas. Includes an Adopt-A-Tree program to water the park’s 120 new trees. Contact for FOWP: Martina Rowley (see author’s contact information above).

Ward 32 Renewable Energy Group
A Pilot Project for a Dog Waste Digester to generate usable biogas from dog waste. Location planned near the Kew Beach dog park. Email Ronn Stevenson, spideyronn@mac.com.