Canadians love salt. A recent study revealed that some fast food items sold in Canada were substantially saltier than the same items sold in other countries (Weeks, 2012). And since making the comparison is essential to our identity as Canadians, yes, we’re saltier than Americans. But our love affair for salt doesn’t end with fast … Continue reading
Cycling provides me with an ultimate sense of freedom. It’s an absolute joy to hop on my bike and feel like I could go anywhere while connecting with my city in an active way. Unfortunately, cycling in my home city of Toronto can be risky and each time I head out, I wonder if I’ll keep safe. … Continue reading
***UPDATE: The invitation to the Mayor to give cycling a try has been signed by over 1,000 people at http://www.change.org/robfordrides. A letter to the Mayor’s office was sent via email on September 10, 2013, which you can read here.*** Toronto’s Mayor Ford hasn’t been the biggest supporter of cycling in the city. During his time … Continue reading
Please join me on Saturday, February 2, 2013 at the University of Toronto’s 7th Annual Peace, Conflict & Justice Conference. This year’s theme is The Urban Era: Comparing Challenges in the World’s Cities and I’ll be participating in a panel discussion on Urban Environmentalism: Cities and Green Initiatives in the Global North and South. Registration is FREE and all are … Continue reading
Today was a beautiful day for biking. It was a balmy 4 degrees Celsius (39ºF) here in Toronto in mid-December. Yup, that’s Toronto, Canada. While 4 degrees may be a bit chilly for some, it feels like spring for us and its the type of weather that leads to Canadian fashion faux pas like shorts and snow … Continue reading
As a cyclist in Toronto, the very fact that a bike lane exists on any given street is cause for celebration. But since the majority of our precious lanes are not separated, these lanes also often serve as parking spots for delivery trucks, city service vehicles and anyone else who needs to make a pit stop. This isn’t … Continue reading
In today’s visual media focused society what better way to learn about environmental issues than through film? Luckily the Planet in Focus film festival has got us covered! This week from October 10-14, 2012 Canada’s largest environmental film festival hits the theatres of Toronto. This year’s festival features some great environmental classics like Manufactured Landscapes, a stark and … Continue reading
I bike everywhere in the city. I strap on my helmet and birkenstocks and head for the streets. But sometimes I like to look a little more ‘put together’ than usual. In the post Bike Love I talked about the wide range of biking benefits. There’s the obvious fact that bikes don’t release greenhouse gas emissions … Continue reading
Yesterday’s Landfill Lunch post about disposable packaging in the take-away food industry reminded me of this clever poster which articulates the backwards thinking of our throw-away society. When you think about all the resources and effort that goes into creating our ‘disposable’ goods it becomes clear that zero waste really is just common sense with a … Continue reading
As I speed my way down death alley (aka University Ave.) on my bicycle each day I think about how wonderful it would be to not fear for my life each time I leave the house on two wheels. I am green with envy (ha!) hearing about Denmark’s bike superhighway and efforts to encourage cycling when bikers in my … Continue reading
urban bandit 