Trashless Toronto
***Bear with me as I make this page better. I am slowly adding new things. Feel Free to Contact me if you know of businesses to add****
GROCERY SHOPPING
(A NEW MEANING TO GREEN EGGS AND HAM)
People have been asking me how much time I dedicate to being garbage free. I really have no idea-it’s a complete change of lifestyle. I did however keep track of how long it took to do our weekly shopping. Including getting there and back and organising everything to go, it took from 9:30am to 1pm. The first hour, was two people working together and the rest was me alone (not because Kyle is a slacker, but because he was at home cleaning the place in preparation for the t.v camera’s-we wouldn’t want to fit into the “dirty hippy” stereotype!) I still haven’t finished my Toronto Trash Queen map, so I’ll walk you through where I went. I even took some pictures!!!
Kyle and I went together to Etherea (1151 Davenport Rd), each equipped with a cloth bag full of plastic bags, backpacks and the milk bottles. You can bring your own containers there for maple syrup, honey, nut butters etc. and we use our own bags for dry bulk goods (nuts, beans, grains, granola, rice, teas, flours). They also have Soap Works package-free soaps, Tom’s of Maine Toothpaste, free run eggs in recyled and recyclable conatiners and more!
4 Life organics (257 Augusta Ave.)
The nice people at 4 Life say we can leave our elastic bands with the tag on them there because they reuse them. Yaaaaay! You can get organic fruit and veggies here as well as Harmoney Organic milk in bottles.
Cheese Magic (184 Baldwin st.)
The nice boys at Cheese Magic gave me my cheese without even wax paper and agreed to do it again upon request, so go there for trashless cheese-the organic white chedder is divine. mmmmmmmmmm (Sorry vegan friends, I have completely fallen off the wagon!) Don;t forget to bring your ownbag (this goes for all the stores, really)
My Market Bakery (182 Baldwin St.)
Almost everything is DIY here so it’s easy to bring your own bag to fill with delicious bread, bagels etc. It’s best to go in the morning to get the biggest selection.
REG (202 Baldwin St.) is not organic but very sweet and supportive of no bags.It is a small family run bulk store with dries fruit, beans, flour, nuts etc. They are so appreciative of people who bring their own bags. One time, I thought she was going to kiss me!
Tutti Frutti (64 Kensington Ave.) and Essence of Life (50 Kensington Ave.) are two other good organic/health f ood stores that don’t bat an eyelash at me bringing my own bags and containers.
In fact, other people do it too! Tutti Frutti is often a little cheaper, but there are no nut butters or syrups in bulk there so you need to go to Essence for that. Don’t forget to weigh your glass or plastic containers before you fill them!
Every Thursday, all year round there is an organic farmers market at Dufferin Grove park. http://www.dufferinpark.ca/market/wiki/wiki.php
It can be a bit pricey, but it’s great, local (no stickers usually) and I go there specifically for:
-fair trade chocolate solar roasted and ground by biccyle power
-free range, organic eggs I can bring my own container for (what really sold me here is that they have photos of the farmers hugging the chickens!) If you havew extra egg cartons, you can bring them here, because they will reuse them.
-organic olive oil in a big steel vat that you must bring your own container for.
I don’t get here very often, but it’s Toronto’s oldest market and you can get everything package-free, including meat (so I’m told 
I suspect it would be easier to get more things without packaging when the farmers market is there on Saturdays.
348 Danforth Avenue
Toronto, ON, Canada
(416) 466-2129
I can’t believe how long it took me to actually go to The Big Carrot. I’d heard about it, but it’s on the other side of town, so I never made it out there. I just assumed it would be like any other Organic Store. It’s not! It’s huge. I wish I had checked it out during our hard core stage. They sell my favorite hair conditioner in bulk! There is a huge health and beauty section as well as a gigantic grocery store, cafe and juice bar.
EATING OUT
Urban Herbivore
64 Oxford Street, Toronto, ON, Canada (416) 927-1231
There are not a lot of tables to eat at, but if you get take out, it’s in compostable recycled cardboard or plastic made from corn. The food is organic, vegan, tasty and reasonably priced. You can buy soup in jars and when you bring the jar back, they will give you a deposit back. They are very supportive if you bring your own container and some staff will even give you a discount for it!
326 Bloor Street West, 894 Queen Street West,147 Spadina Avenue
This was my favorite restaurant until I became allergic to soy. Large portions, vegan, very well priced. I liked the atmosphere in their old Bloor St. location better than the new one, but the service is good and they are very fond of people who bring their own containers and will reward you with a smile and a discount.
Moon Bean Coffee Co.
A nice place to have a snack and a real coffee or tea. There are many selections to chose from(loose). They are supportive of garbage free orders and it is a friendly casual atmosphere.
Mercello’s Pizzaria 1163 St. Clair Ave.
This is not actually a purposefully eco-friendly restaurant, but the pizza is really good and they were supportive when we explained what we were doing, and were very careful not to bring us any garbage. They have always said we can use our own container and we bring one, but we always finish all the pizza there and don’t need it.
Pulp Kitchen
898 Queen Street East (in Leslie ville)
Open Monday- Friday 8am-5pm
weekends 10 am-4pm
MMMMMMMMM vegan greasy spoon. This place is amazing and I feel so comfortable there! Delicious food, reasonable priced. Most things are soy based, so if you have a soy allergy, it may not be for you. Fortunately my soy allergy seemed to go away when I got pregnant, so I’m taking advantage and eating here as much as possible!
John’s Classic Pizza
591 College Ave.
This is a very good pizza joint, with take out or stay in service. It’s my favorite pizza in Toronto. If you buy pizza by the slice, it usually comes on a paper plate, but they will happily put it on a stay in pate, upon request, or even your own plate if you do have to rush out.
Linux cafe
320 Harbord St.
I haven’t been here yet, but they claim to be a green cafe, charge 25% extra if you get take out with disposables and are open to suggestions about how to be greener.
Health and Beauty
organics on Bloor (toilet paper)
Grass Roots
Clothing
Passenger Pigein
Alva’s Bargain Basement
22 Comments
January 6, 2007 at 9:22 pm
Wow! I read the Globe and Mail article this morning and was blown away. I will be following you efforts and wish you the best of luck!
January 9, 2007 at 4:36 pm
Hi Sarah and Kyle!
Love this idea…In fact we need to talk more about it! I produce The Paul and Carol Mott Show at NewsTalk 1010 CFRB and we’re hoping you can come into studio this week for a 1\2 hour to discuss.
Drop me a line if you can!
Thanks
Cale Fair
cfair@cfrb.com
January 17, 2007 at 2:22 pm
Sarah & Kyle,
I love what you are doing — I can’t wait to go home tonight and talk to my family about your journey and encourage them to follow in your footsteps. Please keep the tips coming to help others get involved in setting similar goals. You are incredibly inspiring!!! I will definitely do my best to let everyone know what you are doing. Thanks for working so creatively and energetically towards such a noble goal — you are truly making a difference.
Keep the entries coming…
Be well,
Rob Grand
rob@GrassrootsStore.com
January 17, 2007 at 8:12 pm
Wow! What an inspiring idea! I am coordinating the Student Christian Movement at U of T and would love it if you would be willing to come and speak to us. I’m not sure how to get a hold of you though. Please email if you get the chance!
Best of luck!
January 18, 2007 at 1:04 am
Thanks for all your support people. And Rob Grand, that’s amazing!!!It’s such an honour to have you say that we inspire you! Your store is the reason we can do this project.
January 18, 2007 at 5:35 pm
Just wanted to let you know that I live in the community of Riverdale in Edmonton, AB. Riverdale is famous for its large number of environmentally conscious residents. With your permission, we will be running exerpts from your articles in our local newsletter and encouraging others to adopt your ideas and lifestyles. The ripple effect of planting seeds of knowledge and alternative ways of living will go a long way towards creating sustainable existances. Thank you for commiting to make a positive difference in our world.
Many Blessings to you!
January 29, 2007 at 3:12 pm
Inspiring! I know your friend Collette from Regina…I live in Regina…
I will tell my T.O. friends about this great guide.
Thanks Sarah and Kyle!
Jen
February 1, 2007 at 10:27 am
[...] Kyle Glover) have decided to go an entire month without generating garbage. They’ve posted Trashless Toronto to provide additional [...]
February 1, 2007 at 5:33 pm
Hi Sarah & Kyle….
I manage the Grassroots webstore and I’m so inspired by the trail you’re both blazing that I thought I’d feature you on our February homepage with a quote from Kyle and your blog address.
Check it out: http://www.GrassrootsStore.com
Thank you for shining the spotlight on this important issue!
With gratitude,
Jenny Vasiloff
February 4, 2007 at 4:28 pm
hey sarah
i’m a student of michelle rumballs and she has briefly told me about you and kyle
what a brillant effort!
i find it very inspiring…keep it up!
also, i thought you and kyle might me interested
in this contest. here’s the link: http://www.truths.treehugger.com
life and love
conk
February 8, 2007 at 10:27 pm
Hi:
I have a question…what do you do during your period? How do you manage to go through your cycle without producing waste?
February 9, 2007 at 9:52 am
Britanni
I use reuasble cloth pads. I have talked about where to get them and other non-disposable period supplies on What I do in the bathroom http://nomoregarbage.wordpress.com/2007/01/09/what-i-do-in-the-bathroom/
February 16, 2007 at 8:22 am
Hello Sarah,
What you guys are doing is very good. I think it is inspiring to lots of torontorians. I hope all the people of toronto follow the same thing because it is in everybody’s interest. I wish you good luck in your pursuit.
February 28, 2007 at 9:45 pm
On Drying Bags
I airdry mine. I smear my washed, wet bags against the backsplash in the kitchen. I make sure the bag’s two sides are separated, and the open end is pointing down to let the water drip out. It dries in a day or so.
A woman who traveled in Africa told me about this method. She said the bag should fall down when it dries, although mine rarely do.
February 28, 2007 at 10:57 pm
I used to do that too. I didn’t like it because it took so long and we had so many bags. That’s why we tried different methods. We really like the method we use now. ( Kyle waving the bags around in the air for awhile then leaving them open to dry on the counter for an hour or so). Thanks for all your bag drying suggestions. There are lots of options out there. We’ve got it covered now though
March 23, 2007 at 10:40 am
were you aloud to recycle or not.how mouch times did you start again.
March 23, 2007 at 10:42 am
dear,sarah and kyle
March 23, 2007 at 10:44 am
dear sarah and kyle,
I think you did a great job living without throwing garbage away.you are a great rolemodel.
April 6, 2007 at 9:50 pm
Going garbage-free is a fantastic idea! I can’t wait to try it out. It’s one of those things where you wonder how you’ve never heard it discussed as a goal. I’m also looking forward to sharing this with my kids. Congratulations on your inspiring lifestyle.
July 8, 2007 at 3:26 pm
I think we should all be focusing on refusing to make garbage — recyclable or not– and I applaud your efforts. I am sending a copy of an e-mail I just sent to Mayor Miller on this topic. I wonder if you can encourage people who visit your web-site to launch a letter writing campaign to pressure the different levels of government to ban non-reusables. Also I am thinking of making a little information flyer to hand out to people at public events and such. If I get it together perhaps your readers could also distribute them? In the meantime, here’s the e-mail I sent:
Dear Mr. Miller:
I believe that you are a politician who truly cares about the environment and the health of our city. While I realize that you can’t do everything all at once, I am dismayed at all the plastic non-refillable containers that Torontonians use and toss ( into the blue bin, the garbage or onto the street). Since plastic uses so much energy to produce, and it creates such a hazard to the environment after its (usually) one-time use, I find it difficult to understand why we are not banning plastic non-refillable containers.
I attended two city events this past weekend and I was dismayed at the the waste I saw. At the Toronto Outdoor Art Festival vendors were selling bottled water and the city was not there providing any easily accessible alternative. The next day I went to our local Environment Day and I was shocked to see the city staff at the solid waste management booth with bottled water!!!!!!!!! Below is a letter from the Mayor of San Francisco which illustrates the steps they are taking. I hope Toronto can follow suit.
Sincerely,
Donna-Marie Batty
46 Eleventh Street (letter below)
Office of the Mayor Gavin Newsom City & County of San Francisco
Executive Directive 07-07
Permanent Phase-Out of Bottled Water Purchases
by San Francisco City and County Government
June 21, 2007
San Francisco is proud of its historic role as an urban leader in environmental protection. For decades, our local government has provided environmental stewardship of the surrounding region’s water delivery system. This water delivery system consistently provides among the purest, safest drinking water in the nation from spring snowmelt stored in the Hetch Hetchy Reservoir and flowing down the Tuolumne River .
Over the last decade, San Franciscans have responded to marketing campaigns to purchase bottled water and record amounts of bottled water have been purchased by San Francisco consumers and local government at the expense of the environment. Such marketing has suggested that bottled water is safer than better-regulated, pristine tap water delivered by San Francisco government to its residents. As the city advances its Local Climate Action Plan to combat global warming, it is paramount that we initiate policies that limit the most significant contributors to climate change.
The rise of the bottled water industry is well documented and visible throughout San Francisco and the entire world. The global consumption of bottled water was measured at 41 billion gallons in 2004, up 57 percent from the previous five years. This consumption increase occurred despite the fact that bottled water often costs 240 to 10,000 times more than tap water. In San Francisco , for the price of one gallon of bottled water, local residents can purchase 1000 gallons of tap water.
Data suggests that the environmental impact of the bottled water industry has been profound. According to the Container Recycling Institute, supplying the plastic water bottles that American consumers purchase in one year requires more than 47 million gallons of oil, the equivalent of one billion pounds of carbon dioxide that is released into the atmosphere. More than one billion plastic water bottles end up in California ’s landfills each year, taking 1000 years to biodegrade and leaking toxic additives such as phthalates into the groundwater. Additionally, water diverted from local aquifers for the bottled water industry can strain surrounding ecosystems.
Furthermore, transporting bottled water by boat, truck and train involves burning massive quantities of fossil fuels. All of this waste and pollution is generated by a product that by objective standards is often inferior to the quality of San Francisco ’s pristine tap water.
By virtue of the power and authority vested in me by Section 3.100 of the San Francisco Charter to provide administration and oversight of all departments and governmental units in the Executive Branch of the City and County of San Francisco , I hereby issue this Executive Directive to become effective immediately:
• Beginning July 1, 2007, there will be a prohibition from any city department or agency purchasing single serving bottles of water using city funds, unless an employee contract specifies usage. This prohibition will apply to city contractors and city funded and/or sponsored events. There will be no waivers from this prohibition.
• By September 30, 2007, all city departments and agencies occupying either city or rental properties will have completed an audit to determine the viability of switching from bottled water dispensers to bottle-less water dispensers that utilize Hetch Hetchy supplied water. City departments will work with the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC), Department of Real Estate (DRE) and the City Purchaser to conduct the audit. Staff from the SFPUC will contact you shortly to begin the audit for your department.
• By December 1, 2007 all city departments and agencies occupying either city or rental properties will have installed bottle-less water dispensers that utilize Hetch Hetchy supplied water. Waivers will only be granted by the SFPUC based on legitimate engineering, health and fiscal concerns.
For questions concerning this Executive Directive and its implementation, please contact Laura Spanjian, Deputy General Manager of the San Francisco Public Utilities (415-554-1540, LSpanjian@sfwater.org)
Gavin Newsom
Mayor
PS: I got this info. from a really informative group:
activistnetwork@stopcorporateabuse.org
December 16, 2007 at 2:49 pm
Do you know where/how I can dispose of/recycle clothes too worn/paint-stained, etc. to give to charity shops? I’ve held on to them thinking I’ll re-use them as rags, but it never happens. So, how can I off-load responsibly?
December 16, 2007 at 4:15 pm
Yes, Good Will takes rags, so just put them in a bag marked “rags” and drop em off
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