DON'T dump hazardous household products. Keep paints, used oil, cleaning solvents, polishes, pool chemicals, insecticides, and other hazardous household chemicals out of drains, sinks, and toilets. Many of these products contain harmful substances, such as sodium hypochlorite, petroleum distillates, phenol and cresol, ammonia and formaldehyde that can end up in Toronto's waterfront. The City of Toronto has a household hazardous waste (HHW) program that helps prevent toxic materials from entering our landfill sites and sewers.
DO use non-toxic household products. Discarding toxic products correctly is important, but not buying them in the first place is better. Ask local stores to carry non-toxic products if they don't already.
DO recycle and dispose of all trash properly. Never flush non-degradable products, such as disposable diapers, down the toilet. They can damage the sewage system and end up littering beaches and waters.
DO conserve water. Low-flow toilets and showerheads save you both water and money. Repair dripping faucets promptly because they can waste up to 20 gallons of water a day and a leaking toilet up to 200 gallons a day. You can also conserve water by sweeping your driveway and sidewalk instead of hosing them down.
DON'T over-water lawns and gardens. Use slow-watering techniques on lawns and gardens. Over-watering your lawn can increase the leaching of fertilizers into groundwater. Trickle or "drip" irrigation systems and soaker hoses are 20 per cent more efficient than sprinklers. It is also better to water your lawn in the early morning or late evening to prevent water evaporation due to the midday heat.
DO plant native plants in your gardens. Some ornamental plant species are not adapted to our local climate and may require extra water to maintain. Check with your local garden centre for native plant species that can act as ornamentals for gardens. They will not require any special care because they have already adapted to our climate.
DO use natural fertilizers. Apply natural fertilizers, such as compost, manure, bone meal or peat, whenever possible. Ask your local hardware and garden supply stores to stock these natural fertilizers. You can also buy a composter at a garden supply or hardware store, or by mail. Composting decreases the need for fertilizer and helps the soil retain moisture.
DO disconnect your downspouts. Disconnecting downspouts can redirect rain gutters and downspouts to soil, grass, or gravel areas instead of into the city's sewer system.
DO your landscaping with vegetation, gravel, or other porous materials instead of cement. Also, planting vegetation at lower elevations than nearby hard surfaces allows runoff to seep into soil.
DO use the garbage cans and recycling containers provided. Keeping Toronto's beaches free from garbage will go a long way to help keep our water clean. Garbage is the most visible sign of environmental pollution - it feeds pests such as rats and mice and spreads germs and diseases.