Latest Entries

21st century emergent ‘trees’

submitted by Gozo College Middle School : Mara Spiteri  for 11-14
campaign: YRE Entry
dissemination(s): school magazine,website,school media,other,EkoSkola Noticeboard, EkoSkola blog
filed under Photos Reporting photo

Malta’s dependency on tourism, economic progress and population growth is putting extra pressure on the Maltese Islands’ surface area. Construction seems to have become Malta’s main source of income. The solution developers are providing for the ever increasing demand for accommodation is concrete high rise buildings. Urban sprawl is categorically affecting the balance between rural and built-up areas with a great loss of the local identity. Urban skylines are being swamped with haphazard development without any real concern on the effects on the surrounding area and environment. These emerging ‘trees’ are literally suffocating the traditional low buildings built in local stone. How sustainable is all this?

Read More

Reusing at its best!!

submitted by Gozo College Middle School : Jeremy Gatt  for 11-14
campaign: Litter Less Campaign Entry
dissemination(s): school magazine,website,school media,other,EkoSkola Noticeboard, EkoSkola blog
filed under Photos Reporting photo

Crib making is a popular tradition in the village of Xagħra. They are made in all sizes from matchbox to larger than life. Various materials are used in their production. The Xaghra Branch of the Society of Christian doctrine (M.U.S.E.U.M.) excelled in giving a new life to various discarded materials and objects in the making of a large mechanical crib. The crib knows its beginning in 1969. Old washing machines, disused timing belts, bicycle chains, used cardboards, plastic caps, old clothes, discarded pieces of wood and parts of broken furniture and similar materials have been used to build this crib. During a visit on site, Mr. John Attard, Mr. Peppi Theuma and Mr Joe Borg, the masterminds behind this project, opened the ‘insides’ of the crib and explained in detail the construction process involved in the making of the crib. It is clear how every object is meticulously and very cleverly adapted and used, giving it a new and actually useful purpose. Indeed, a great way of reducing litter!!

Read More

Never ending sunset- Light Pollution

submitted by Mcast Art & Design Mosta : Luke Zerafa  for 19+
campaign: YRE Entry
dissemination(s): newspaper, school magazine, school media, website
filed under Photos Reporting photo
awarded: Best Entry, International Honorable Mention

Dangers of Light Pollution: Nature: animals confuse artificial lighting for moon and disrupt their natural cycles Human: Circadian Rhythms- Controlled by ‘Ganglion cells’ found inside the eye, controlling the sleep/ wake/ eat cycle + Behavioural functions + pupillary light reflex (dilation of the pupil)- how much light enters the eye and how much we perceive. Ganglion cells have a peak absorption rate of around 480 nM wavelength (blue light) In short: Wrong colour temperature bluish light pollution has greater effect on our sleep/ wake/ eat cycles (circadian) + Behaviour functions Installing too powerful lighting instead of finding the proper low wattage to produce an adequate amount of luminosity results in light pollution from the reflected surface just under the light source. Waste of electricity to light unused spaces.

Read More

Walk-through landfill

submitted by Gozo College Middle School : EkoSkola Committee  for 11-14
campaign: YRE Entry
dissemination(s): EkoSkola blog, Ekoskola noticeboard, other, school magazine, school media, website
filed under Articles

Want the experience? Just go to Xlendi. Yes, one of Gozo’s prime tourists’ sites is changing into a walk-through landfill. Bring in sites have been burnt. Open garbage bags with waste spread all over, bulky waste on pavements are the rule of the day especially over weekends. Suggestions and possible solutions have been put forward by many, including young reporters since at least 2014. It was on the media and the relative authorities were also contacted back then. Unfortunately things not only did not improve but the situation has worsened over time. Back in 2014 bring-in sites had been ‘converted’ into open air dumping sites. Careless persons actually made them inaccessible by depositing mounds of garbage bags and rubbish at the base and all around the recycle containers. Numerous residents and young reporters included suggested that security cameras are installed to stop irresponsible dumping of non-recyclable waste but no cameras. The first step is to reduce waste, recycle all that is possible and be responsible that the items one has to throw away are disposed of in the right way and at the right place.

Read More

A Short on Sustainable Fashion

submitted by MCAST Institute of Creative Arts : Roberta Micallef  for 19+
campaign: YRE Entry
dissemination(s): website
filed under Articles

An article about the pertinent Sustainable and Ethical Fashion issue, concerning the consumption and production of fast fashion and its effect on the environment and society. Focusing on a local level, to make awareness more palpable and relatable.

Read More