Articles

The Living Landfill

submitted by St Michael Foundation : Amelia J Pace Bonello, Emily Strijbosch-Ali  for 11-14
campaign: YRE Entry
dissemination(s): other, school media, website
filed under Articles

This article explores the environmental challenges posed by the Magħtab landfill in Malta and proposes an innovative solution to address them. It highlights the long-term impact of unmanaged waste, including toxic emissions and the difficulty of restoration due to non-biodegradable materials. The authors critique the government’s plan to convert the site into a traditional park, arguing that such spaces promote passive interaction with nature. Instead, they propose the creation of a zero-waste community garden, “Full Circle Garden,” based on circular economy principles. Supported by research and local examples, the article demonstrates the environmental, social, and economic benefits of community gardening. The proposal emphasises sustainability through composting and growing food from scraps. Ultimately, the article presents a transformative vision of turning a polluted site into a self-sustaining ecosystem and a symbol of environmental renewal.



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How Pollution Affects Climate Change and Food Prices

submitted by St Michael Foundation : Jake Stivala  for 11-14
campaign: YRE Entry
dissemination(s): other, school media, website
filed under Articles

The article examines the relationship between pollution, climate change, and rising food prices. It explains that air pollution releases greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide, which contribute significantly to climate change. As a result, extreme weather conditions including droughts, floods, and storms, are becoming more frequent, negatively affecting agricultural production. Reduced crop yields and increased farming costs lead to higher food prices and declining food quality. The article also incorporates insights from a local farmer, who highlights challenges such as unpredictable rainfall, crop damage, increased pesticide use, and the need for costly technological adaptations. To address these issues, the article proposes both individual and governmental solutions, including reducing energy consumption, adopting renewable energy, promoting sustainable practices, and implementing environmental policies. Overall, it emphasises the urgent need for collective action to mitigate climate change and ensure food security.



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The life cycle of a butterfly

submitted by Kullegg San Nikola – Skola Dun Manwel Attard Wardija : Aiden Farrugia, Jacques Grupetta, Kyle Lucia Caruana, Matthew Grech  for 19-25
campaign: YRE Entry
dissemination(s): school media
filed under Articles

From November 2025, our class, with the help of gardening teachers, managed to take care of caterpillars in our school garden and classroom. What started as a normal gardening session, ended up as a rescue mission for caterpillars and their eggs from our crops. we picked them up, observed them and protected them until they became butterflies! We also managed to learn why they are important for our environment!



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A Crowd of Problems Malta’s Nature is Facing Due to Overpopulation

submitted by Immaculate Conception School Tarxien : Rachael Gatt  for 11-14
campaign: YRE Entry
dissemination(s): other, School magazine, school media, website
filed under Articles

In this article, Rachael Gatt, discusses how Malta’s growing population is placing increasing pressure on the natural environment. As more buildings are constructed to accommodate residents and foreign workers, green spaces are disappearing and wildlife is losing its natural habitat. Traffic and other forms of pollution—such as emissions from factories, aircraft, and sea vessels—are damaging both animal and plant life through air and noise pollution. Although Malta still has beautiful beaches and nature reserves, many of these areas are becoming overcrowded, leading to littering, water pollution, and the disturbance of ecosystems. The article concludes by emphasising that while people continue to voice their opinions on overpopulation, Malta’s natural environment suffers in silence—highlighting the need for greater awareness and care to protect it.



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The Butterfly rescue project

submitted by Kullegg San Nikola – Skola Dun Manwel Attard Wardija : Giovanni peterson, James Zammit, Megan Wheeler  for 19-25
campaign: YRE Entry
dissemination(s): school media
filed under Articles



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But surely we have enough? Right???

submitted by St. Aloysius College Secondary School : Julian Agius Scicluna  for 11-14
campaign: YRE Entry
dissemination(s): website
filed under Articles

As part of his participation in the Young Reporters for the Environment (YRE) competition, Julian Agius Scicluna explores the global challenge of food scarcity and food security, highlighting that hunger is not caused by a lack of food but by unequal distribution and limited access. Despite the world producing enough food, around 673 million people still face hunger, showing the importance of better global cooperation and fair allocation of resources. The article also discusses how globalisation, conflicts such as the war in Ukraine, and instability in regions like the Middle East have disrupted food supply chains and made achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals, especially Zero Hunger, more difficult. Julian explains that food insecurity also affects local communities that depend heavily on agriculture and are vulnerable to climate change and unpredictable weather. He further highlights the issue of food waste in Europe, showing the imbalance between abundance and need.



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Our Bee-utiful Environment – Written by Kate Gatt Taliana Philippa Cascun and Carla Camilleri

submitted by St Joseph Junior School Sliema : Carla Camilleri, Kate Gatt Taliana, Philippa Cascun  for 7-10
campaign: YRE Entry
dissemination(s): other, school media, website
filed under Articles

This article is based on an interview with a beekeeper who helped explain why bees are so important. Maltese honeybees are special because they only live in Malta and help plants grow by carrying pollen from one flower to another. Without bees, many fruits, vegetables and even chocolate would be hard to find! Bees are in danger because buildings are replacing their homes, pollution makes them sick, and flowers sometimes bloom at the wrong time. We can help by planting bee friendly flowers, keeping nature clean, giving bees water, and avoiding harmful chemicals. Bees love flowers like clover, wild thyme, capers, wild fennel, daisies and poppies. At school, we planted flowers and learned how to build bee hotels. Bees are amazing: they have five eyes, some live only a few weeks, and they even dance to communicate! Protecting bees helps keep nature healthy.



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Our Bee-utiful Environment – Written by Kate Gatt Taliana Philippa Cascun and Carla Camilleri

submitted by St Joseph Junior School Sliema : Carla Camilleri, Kate Gatt Taliana, Philippa Cascun  for 7-10
campaign: YRE Entry
dissemination(s): other, school media, website
filed under Articles

This article is based on an interview with a beekeeper who helped explain why bees are so important. Maltese honeybees are special because they only live in Malta and help plants grow by carrying pollen from one flower to another. Without bees, many fruits, vegetables and even chocolate would be hard to find! Bees are in danger because buildings are replacing their homes, pollution makes them sick, and flowers sometimes bloom at the wrong time. We can help by planting bee friendly flowers, keeping nature clean, giving bees water, and avoiding harmful chemicals. Bees love flowers like clover, wild thyme, capers, wild fennel, daisies and poppies. At school, we planted flowers and learned how to build bee hotels. Bees are amazing: they have five eyes, some live only a few weeks, and they even dance to communicate! Protecting bees helps keep nature healthy.



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Dingli Is Disappearing – Who Will Save It?

submitted by St Joseph Junior School Sliema : Eva Borg Busuttil, Kay Elizabeth Psaila, Lucia Caruana  for 7-10
campaign: YRE Entry
dissemination(s): other, school media, website
filed under Articles

Dingli is a beautiful place with fresh air, quiet countryside, and amazing cliffs. But lately, it is facing many problems. Too many new buildings and roads are being built, which destroy fields, wildlife habitats, and the natural countryside. More cars and buses are causing noise and air pollution, making the area less peaceful. Litter and even illegal construction waste are being left behind, harming animals and spoiling nature. Tourists sometimes walk in the wrong places, damaging plants and soil. Weak rules and poor enforcement make these problems worse. To protect Dingli, we should limit construction, add more bins, remind visitors to stay on the paths, and encourage people to use buses instead of cars. Planting trees and enforcing environmental laws can help nature recover. If everyone works together, we can keep Dingli safe, clean, and beautiful for the future.



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Microplastics: The tiny destroyers of our ecosystems

submitted by St Joseph Junior School Sliema : Matilda Pullicino, Nicole Young  for 11-14
campaign: YRE Entry
dissemination(s): newspaper, school media, website
filed under Articles

Microplastics are tiny pieces of plastic that come from bigger plastic items like bottles and bags. Even though they are very small, they cause big problems for nature. They end up in our oceans, rivers, soil, air, and even our food! Sea animals like fish, turtles and birds often eat microplastics by mistake, which can make them sick. When we eat fish that swallowed plastic, the microplastics can enter our bodies too. Littering makes the problem worse because plastic breaks down into microplastics and gets washed into the sea. We can help by throwing rubbish away properly, joining beach clean-ups, and spreading awareness. Scientists even discovered a type of bacteria that can “eat” plastic, which might help in the future. Fast fashion clothing also releases microplastics, so buying fewer, better-quality clothes can help. If we recycle, reuse, and reduce plastic, we can protect our planet—because we don’t have a Planet



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