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The wind of change makes our windmills move… yet is this change for better or for worse?

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The traditional windmill, once a common sight in Maltese fields, has all but disappeared from our nation’s agricultural inventory. Only a few remain to serenade our fields, replaced by electric pumps, fuelled by the hideously disruptive wires pictured. Their quiet grace seems to have blown out as the modernisation of the agricultural industry regards them as relics of the past. Apart from the pictured metal windmills introduced in the 1930s, there are also a few remaining stone windmills from the Knights’ period. Less than a dozen of these stone structures retain their sails, and most of them are degrading at an alarming rate. These windmills would have been used to crush grain, a practice which is now fully mechanized, with their structures either abandoned or used for various other purposes. To see the Maltese windmills vanish from our countryside would be a tragedy of the highest degree.

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Fort St. Angelo. The site has been host to a military site of some sort of another since Arab times (9th century AD), the current structure dating back to the rule of the Knights of St. John (16th century AD). It has survived the Ottoman Empire and two world wars, but it seems as though it won’t survive the neglect that has befallen it. September 2009 saw the site’s closure due to cracks in its structure which were deemed hazardous to the public. Restoration efforts are still underway, and the site remains closed to the public. This is not the only archaeological site in the Maltese Islands which is falling apart before our eyes. Fort St. Elmo made it onto the list of the world’s 100 most endangered sites in 2008, and it seems that restoration efforts are too little, too late. Will all of our architectural heritage be lost to vandalism, neglect and indifference?

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Living on an island, beaches and the sea in general are an important facet of daily life, as well as an inextricable part of the Maltese culture. The summer ‘xalati’, or days by the sea, are a weekly pleasure for most of the Maltese, especially on those days following a village feast. The image on the left shows a relationship that seems to be degrading, however. The pictured parakiter enjoys the winds that carry him across the waves, framed by a backdrop of verdant green. This, however, is one of the only inlets in Malta that remain untouched. Haphazard development has taken over a great number of our beaches, with concrete promenades and kiosks reigning over the Maltese coast and busy roads ensuring that not a moment of peace can be enjoyed. Will we surrender our beaches, our culture, our very livelihood, to swathes of grey? If we do, it will not bode well for us, for even a humble weed finds its way through the strongest concrete.

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In this photo, the car was burnt near houses and fields. Stray cats which lived there could have been hurt during this incident. Before this act of vandalism, the cats had places where they could rest and now residents have to see what to do about this problem. This is an illegal way of dumping hazardous waste. Junkyards are provided to remove such waste but still people give a cold shoulder. More precisely toxic waste, if not disposed properly, can intoxicate the surrounding habitat which include plants and nearby puddles home to frogs. More over it will reach groundwater, and poison the water supply. Even worse this waste does not self decay which means it will stay visible for many years until it’s disposed properly, like it should have been in the first place!

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Is it worth destroying other creature’s habitat, just for the sake of having a seaside view? Instead of appreciating the natural environment of Xemxija Bay by building Nature Reserves and other things to help raise awareness about the beauty of the bay, we are building apartments which are not only polluting the surrounding environment and killing many habitats, but are also creating an eyesore. If we carry out these projects, then we may preserve many of the creatures’ natural habitats. By conserving many of the natural resources, we can make the bay look more attractive and many tourists along with local people may enjoy taking a stroll on the beach. As you are reading this, think of how much better off our life would be if urbanisation was reduced! We would have a longer lifespan and our health will drastically improve. Think before you build!

Young reporters
for the environment

Latest Entries

The wind of change makes our windmills move… yet is this change for better or for worse?

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Our heritage… monument to the past or stagnating relic?

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Beaches – calm, natural areas, or overdeveloped swathes of concrete?

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Drive through the countryside?

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Is this how you would like to enjoy nature?

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