Toronto Clean Air Act

WE, THE PEOPLE OF TORONTO, in response to

1) Hundreds of asthma, lung disease, and cancer-related deaths every year due to toxic air quality.

2) Diminishing water quality and supplies, and the astronomical amount of coal, gas, nuclear and river-dam generated electricity used to pump and purify drinking water to be wasted in the (non-food) watering of lawns.

3) Increased food prices, soil loss, drought, and crop failure caused by climate change that is threatening global food and water supplies, and already causing mass extinction.

DEMAND that Toronto City Council immediately enact the following Emergency Measures:

Ban the use of all combustion engines for non-essential purposes including lawnmowers, leaf blowers and edge trimmers.

Restrict vehicular traffic on smog days, and discourage single-occupancy private automobile use year-round by applying road tolls to be used to fund public transit and sustainable infrastructure initiatives.

Ban the use of municipal water to grow grass for cosmetic purposes.

Allow for the naturalization of lawns by changing property by-laws to allow people to not cut their grass if they so choose.

Take charge of Torontos food security by educating and funding community and backyard gardens, as well as the planting food (Fruit & Nut) trees on public lands.

Change the building code for new structures, and create a renovation fund to build Rooftop Gardens on all available surfaces in order to conserve electricity, grow food, and improve air quality.

Enforce a ban on the use of known carcinogenic and toxic substances by Toronto businesses.