News update – Councillor Mark Grimes’ Office – March 21, 2013

Following text is from Ward 6 Councillor Mark Grimes’ Office:

Please find the full newsletter attached in .pdf form:

March 22, 2013

Earth Hour 2013 – Time to Turn off the Lights

Earth Hour: Saturday March 23, 2013, 8:30 – 9:30 pm

More than 5,200 cities and towns in 135 countries worldwide switched off their lights for Earth Hour 2012, the largest voluntary action for the environment. Did you know that in 2006, WWF-Australia inspired Sydney-siders to show their support for climate change action in the first ever Earth Hour event. In 2008, the plan was to take Earth Hour to the rest of Australia, but then the City of Toronto signed up and it wasn’t long before 35 countries and almost 400 cities and towns joined in.

Councillor Grimes reminds everyone to keep fire safety in mind during the lights-out period on Saturday. Many sources of fires are on the decline, but candle fires have increased in recent years. Toronto Fire Services recommends not using candles. Instead, use a battery-powered flashlight when light is needed during Earth Hour.

If candles are used, please follow these fire safety tips:

– Always stay in the room where candles are lit.
– Extinguish all candles when leaving the room.
– Avoid using candles in bedrooms.
– Keep candles at least one metre away from anything that can burn.
– Keep candles, matches and lighters hidden and out of the reach of children.
– Use sturdy candle holders that won’t tip or burn. Consider using a candle holder that encloses the flame in a glass shade or chimney.
– Extinguish candles when they burn to within five centimetres (two inches) of their holder.
– Make sure you have working smoke alarms on every storey of your home.
– Practise your home fire escape plan.

More information about fire safety is available at http://www.toronto.ca/fire/prevention

Live Green Toronto

For other ways to live environmentally friendly check out Live Green Toronto at http://www.toronto.ca/livegreen/index.htm.

Live Green Toronto promotes and supports the greening of Toronto by offering grants, expertise and one-stop website full of resources, rebates, tips and tools to help residents and businesses take action to reduce emissions, protect our climate and clean our air.

Councillor Mark Grimes’ Office
Ward 6, Etobicoke Lakeshore
City Hall
100 Queen Street West, Suite C48
Toronto, ON M5H 2N2
Tel: 416-397-9273 Fax: 416-397-9279
www.markgrimes.ca ( http://www.markgrimes.ca/ )
Please share the information in this newsletter. Thank You.

Councillor Mark Grimes is committed to building a community with an active, liveable lifestyle.