The Toronto Environmental Alliance (TEA) has announced a unique outreach program called Secrecy is Toxic which encourages you to photograph your toxic concerns and safe solutions in your neighbourhood.
TEA wants to create an online interactive map of Toronto made up of your submissions. This website, secrecyistoxic.ca, aims demonstrate the community concern about toxic pollution and the need for full disclosure and safe solutions.
TEA is calling on the City of Toronto to adopt a Community Right to Know bylaw that would require polluting facilities to disclose their use, storage, and release of toxic chemicals. Public access to this information is sorely lacking, and is critical to preventing public health and environmental risks.
Join TEA in creating this database of local environmental concerns, a powerful visual tool that confirms the need for a Community a Right to Know bylaw.
WHAT TO DO
1. Photograph
Toxic Concerns: Take a photograph of commercial, retail, and/or industrial facilities where you have questions and concerns about how they may be affecting your neighborhood’s environment.
Safe Solutions: Take a photograph of an environmentally friendly facility. Let’s recognize businesses who have incorporated safe solutions by reducing pollution, adopting sustainable practices, and for being a good neighbor.
2. Share your stories
Alongside each photo provide the location (street address) and comments about your concerns, questions and/or information about the safe solutions used at the location. Please keep your comments under 100 words.
3. Submit
Send your photographs to lina@torontoenvironment.org
For more information about TEA’s Community Right to Know Campaign
photo by Benny Lin
