Mayor Joe

Sustainable communities are ones that are created around the values of enhancing community elements by integrating economic, social and environmental objectives. The elements  such housing, education, the natural environment, health, accessibility and the arts are all in the forefront of all such community initiatives.

All community issues are interconnected and must be looked at as a whole. There needs to be a vision before such a community is established, a vision that is driven by a clear strategy. Many cities around the world do a great job at bringing their citizens together and thus defining a community’s course in sustainability. These initiatives are based on culture, heritage and celebrations, and civic engagement.

Is not it a quite surprising fact that, this is the century where humanity realizes the significance of nature and valuables? Yes! Most of us actually start to miss the urban-nature and appreciate the idea of it. Now, anyone who is passionate about the urban wildlife does not hesitate. Just pack your kit and run to Toronto for an exciting urban wildlife in Toronto.

Here are some fascinating historical truths about Toronto’s urban wildlife. Toronto’s public transport system was horse powered earlier, and it had an exceedingly long run in their history. The east upper side of Toronto is known as the cabbage town because of the huge cultivation of cabbage and other vegetables. Since the Toronto’s urban wild life is well taken care of, their road accidents too properly taken care of since the victims are mostly animals or birds. Toronto has various groups of naturalists who promotes the nature and its treasure in most effective ways. The foremost naturalist group of Toronto is ‘Toronto Field Naturalist’ who has associated with other groups like Ontario Nature, Toronto parks and Recreation, Toronto Green community, etc.

So this is the city where you can truly co-exist with the passionate creatures of Mother Nature and explore urban wildlife in Toronto. Once you reached in Toronto, you may also admit that these magnificent creatures have rights to share the space with us in here. You can also take part in the naturalist group activities and make possible the hand to hand in connection to save the urban wildlife of Toronto.

If you are tired of the HiFi, metropolitan life and want to return to the lap of Mother Nature, here is the opportunity. This is the place where nature pours the heavenly blessing to her children. This is the place for anyone who genuinely wants to take a break and explore the wildness of nature. In Toronto, no one is alone. Your best friend may be a red-eyed squirrel or mischievous raccoon or even a brisk deer sometimes!

Being socially responsible entails thinking of others, the environment and the community other than thinking about the profitability of the business. Small businesses are not excluded in this practice. They actually play a prominent role in the community as they influence the members of the society on being socially responsible. This is because they are often the gathering places of members of the community.
The small businesses need to be more socially responsible by:

1) Behaving ethically in all the business transactions – Preventing corruption, smuggling or any illegal act is a form of being socially responsible. All activities carried out in the small businesses should be legal and morally upright.

2) Volunteering services to community needs – Identifying the community needs and providing free services to solve some of the problems in the society.

3) Providing healthy working conditions – This mainly involves the workers of the organisation. Providing the workers clean and healthy working environment and atmosphere will actually contribute to improvement of the business outcome.

4) Great treatment of your customers – This entails treating customers with exceptional respect. The customers are also provided with the correct information on the products and services of the business. Consumer education can be provided to the customers so as to enlighten them. The products and services should be standard and consumer friendly.

5) Avoiding negative environmental impact of your day to day activities – Negative impact may include air pollution, land pollution and water pollution. This is usually contributed by wrong methods of disposing the waste products of the business and noise generated from the business. The small businesses can safely dispose off the waste they generate so as to provide a safe environment for the community and the business itself. Noise produced should be minimised so as to avoid irritating those people that reside or conduct their business in the vicinity.

6) Contributing to the community’s economic development – Business can register under local business association so as to share ideas that can help in improvement of the economy of the community and that of the business.

When small businesses give back to the society, the benefits do not only land on the community but also the business benefits. The economic growth of the business tremendously increases.

Urban parks are indispensable in any given city around the world. They have many advantages or benefits thus they should be highly advocated for. Some of the benefits of having urban parks are straightforward though they serve the purpose for many people. At times, people may be meeting with others, and they may feel it best to wait for them outside a hotels or cafeterias. As opposed to standing on the streets and at the station, they can wait for them in the urban parks. This will offer them a chance to interact with nature as they can sit down and enjoy the breeze around the park. You can read more about urban parks here.

Another benefit of urban parks is that they serve as centers of recreation. When people get tired or want to take a walk, they are likely to go to the park. This is because they will get the chance to interact with the nature. Also, as opposed to going to hotels where they may be forced to spend their money to enjoy the cool ambiance, going to the park helps them enjoy the same without any expense and interact with nature in a closer way. Every day, couples are seen walking to the park and spending some quality time thus parks are excellent places of spending recreational time.

Parks are also significant centers for groups to sit down and interact with one another in a broader perspective. Team building is normally done where people feel the need to interact with nature thus with an urban park, such things can be achieved. At the park, people can play games, shout out their anger and stress thus urban parks can be seen as a cure to such problems. Parks primarily offer an environment whereby people can come relax without been bothered. This acts as an enjoyable stress relieving option for those who feel the need to vest their anger to the environment.

A condominium is an apartment or a large building where each part is owned by individual owners. The real estate dealers used to deal with such condominium buildings. They used to buy a whole condo at hugely popular places of a country at the very beginning and that they begin to sell it part by part to the customers. Many people come to stay as tenants under those condominium buildings. The joint owners of a single condominium building should felicitate the access to the common facilities equally, for e.g. the stairs, elevators, terrace, etc. In case of the garage system, the individual owners need to purchase their respective slots before parking their cars.

Now, it is extremely beneficial to choose sustainable condominium buildings. Sustainable condominium buildings are buildings which do not damage the environment. The environment of a condominium building includes the personality and behaviour of each individual owner, their equalisation, etc. If any of the tenants or owners of a building is a selfish one in nature; or in extreme cases is a disguised criminal, then it can be easily concluded the condominium building is not a sustainable one. It is better to look after for other condominium building than that one.

Now the question arises how to find “What are sustainable condominium buildings?” The best way of finding such sustainable buildings are through the real estate agents. The reputed real estate agencies usually never bluff with their customers; neither have they dealt with such condominium buildings. After all, it is all about their business. If any of the customer feel uneasy in living in such unsustainable apartment, and complain to the government against the real estate company; then that complain may lock their business. Still, before buying a condominium building either from any of the real estate agencies or by itself, it is highly recommended verifying the building through other neighbourhood building owners.

Bed bugs infestation in Toronto is one of the city’s most irksome problems, which simply does not go away. Most residents are advised to call the local health authorities or consult a pest control company to evaluate whether or not their homes have been infested by bed bugs. Identifying the bed bug problem is clearly the first step to solving it.

Large-Scale Solution to Bed Bugs Infestation

Canada’s government considers bed bugs infestation as a large-scale problem afflicting many of its citizens Bedbug bites are terribly itchy, utterly preventing poor victims from sleeping soundly. Bed bugs do not only cause loss of sleep and discomfort, their bite marks may progress to infection or irritation among people with sensitive skin.

Due to numerous complaints received by Toronto health department, the state allocated $1.2 million operating budget to fund the city’s comprehensive and effective measures against bedbug infestation. Toronto officials subsequently developed a city-wide Bed Bug Project, which attempts to educate home and business owners about protocols and strategies that control the spread of bed bugs Although these wide-ranging efforts to control bed bugs have substantially addressed a few bedbug issues, but it did not end the bedbug woes that continue to plague even the cleanest accommodation. These pesky pests not only multiply and travel fast – they also proved to be resistant to the most stringent control measures. They could hide for months and endure starvation then return when people fail to keep watch Small-scale Residential Measures Against Bed Bugs

According to bedbugremoval.org, controlling bedbug spread remains a domestic responsibility that has to be addressed by individual residential or commercial building owners. As soon as you obtain a report confirming that your place has been invaded by these annoying tiny bloodsuckers, discuss the possible best solutions with the building owner or manager Consequently, they will recommend a few small and simple changes in your home. Some of these pointers may have been summed up below:

1. Inspect all areas where bed bugs could be hiding. These bloodsuckers are nocturnal pests, so they are highly active at night, especially in a dark, cluttered room. When it is sunny and bright inside your home, meticulously look for shells of bed bugs or live ones. Mattresses are their favorite dwelling place – these are literally where they got their names. Check the bed frame, headboard, drawers, cushions, recliners, folds of curtains, carpets, rugs, couches, electrical wirings, and practically any zone in your home nearby sleeping areas. Look for dark spots as these are obvious signs of a bedbug presence.

2. Vacuum possible bedding zones of bed bugs. Before you use a pesticide to control bed bugs infestation in your home, try beating them with targeted vacuuming. With this simple tool, you will not only capture bed bugs and their eggs, you will also likely destroy their shelter. Remember that ordinary vacuuming for (e.g. general cleaning) will not effectively eliminate bed bugs, your efforts should be focused on exact, well-targeted spots. These bloodsuckers may survive the vacuuming so be sure to dispose all the contents of the vacuum to a sealed garbage bag. If you want to be sure that nothing is left in the tube, you may try inserting a long nylon stocking in the vacuum suction in order to trap the bugs inside it, seal it with a rubber band, and throw it away safely and conveniently.

3. Try a high-quality steamer to remove bed bugs. In the continuous quest to completely exterminate bed bugs, many researchers have studied the deep nature of these pests, and the fool-proof way to kill them. Commercial steamers can now be used to deal with bed bugs by direct contact. Once found, the steamer instantly kills bed bugs. The only drawback on using steamers is that it may not adequately penetrate the fabric and other materials – where bed bugs might be hiding.

4. The washing machine and dryer are your best friends. Bed bugs die when washed and placed in a high temperature. Since they love to crawl and linger where you sleep, take out all the blanket, bed covers, and pillow covers. Wash them and place them inside a hot dryer for about 20 minutes. 5. Get rid of unneeded clutter. Bed bugs love disorganised and cluttered spaces so break their heart by cleaning or removing all mess or unnecessary stuff around your house Eliminating bed bugs may prove to be a lot of work, but these efforts will pay off when they finally stop disturbing your sleep.

It is great to see the Spring initiatives to remove illegal graffiti around the city.

Graffiti is turning into a problem in Toronto and property owners that find their buildings spray painted can have to spend thousands in power-washing and repainting – only to be tagged again days later. Perhaps there is a need for tighter fules against graffiti.

In Toronto a property owner is required by law to remove illegal graffiti.

Are there ways for local businesses to manage things better so they do not become targets of illegal graffiti?