Environment Days help ensure you live green

[attach]4813[/attach]On Saturday, Oct. 1, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., at York Mills Collegiate School, located at 490 York Mills Rd. (east parking lot), I will be hosting this year’s Ward 25 — Don Valley West Community Environment Day.

Once a year, the City of Toronto facilitates Community Environment Days in each ward across the city.

This event gives residents a chance to do their part in helping to create a clean, green and livable Toronto while learning best practices for a greener home. Community Environment Days are held on Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays from April until early October in partnership with Solid Waste Management Services, Toronto Water, the Toronto Environment Office, local councillors and neighbourhood groups.

This year marks the 20th anniversary of these great community events.

These events provide an opportunity to learn proper practices and get supplies to ensure green living.

City staff from various departments are on hand to collect various types of hazardous household waste safely, including batteries and paint, while electronics can also be dropped off for proper recycling and disposal.

Books, clothing and other household goods that may be reused are collected for use for local community groups and schools.

By bringing in these unwanted items, residents can extend the life of their items by giving them to others for reuse.

This reduces the amount of waste going to landfills, maintains proper recycling practices and ensures that hazardous waste materials are disposed of safely, for a cleaner and greener community.

For a fee, residents can pick up green bins, rain barrels, composters and other items.

Residents are advised not to bring construction waste, gasoline, garbage, wood, cassette and video tapes, industrial waste, as well as items that are accepted in Blue Bins such as plastic retail shopping bags, polystyrene foam, empty paint and aerosol cans.

As city councillor for Ward 25, it is my pleasure to organize and provide a venue for residents across the ward to bring their unused and unwanted household items.

My staff and I will be on hand to speak with residents who come to participate, and I will be happy to discuss any city-related matters residents may like to follow up on.

For more details please visit: [url]www.jayerobinson.ca.[/url]