Eco-Concious Toronto

One thing that has been really fun since we moved to Toronto is that they are much more supportive of environmental issues than anywhere I've ever lived.  In the Midwest, I knew some people who composted, but here the city collects organic waste separately from trash and recycling so even if you don't/can't compost at home, you can still utilize this waste and keep it out of landfills.  It is funny how much we realized that we don't create much garbage after food waste and recycling is removed.  We collect food scraps in a container on our counter and bring it out to the "Green Bin" every few days.  This is picked up weekly by the city.  Trash cans on the street and even in some restaurants have a separate place for recycling and organic waste than trash.  Here, they make it easier to do something good for the environment and make you conscious of how you are managing your waste. 

The city enforces a $0.05 charge for any plastic shopping bag that you take at a store, so most people carry their own reusable shopping bags with them.  Biking, walking, and public transit are popular methods of transportation in the City.  While traffic is terrible, there is definitely a large population of people who are not driving.  Those who are tend to drive smaller vehicles -  I don't see many SUVs on the road.  Many people are looking for eco-conscious alternatives in all aspects of life - everyone has re-usable water bottles, yoga mats from sustainable materials, and there are several green-themed retail stores etc.  And, it isn't just Toronto, this is a strong theme throughout Canada.  Green is one area where Canada (ranking 46 in the world's greenest countries) is definitely more progressive than the US (ranked 61st).