Articles

Children playing in Pollution!

submitted by St. Margaret College Boys Secondary Verdala : Deemer Bilocca  for 11-14
dissemination(s): school media
filed under Articles

This playing-area is situated just besides a very central busy road in the locality of Zabbar. It is crowded by many parents and children everyday especially after school hours. Unfortunately, a bus stop is situated near this playground resulting in lots of poisonous emissions. Following my personal investigation, about 33 cars pass by this area every two minutes in the afternoon. People living within 500 metres of a motorway grow up with significantly reduced lung capacity, and even children who have never experienced asthma are at risk, scientists warn. After contacting the Local Council, I’ve suggested more awareness by introducing pollution signs, shifting the bus stop shelter just up the road so to reduce emissions effects and planting more trees in the area to guarantee fresher air. Though unsuccessful to convince the local authorities, I will not stop suggesting a better solution for the local people of my locality.



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Car scrap violating nature

submitted by St. Margaret College Boys Secondary Verdala : Fabrizio Testa  for 11-14
dissemination(s): school media
filed under Articles

This car scrap lies on a green-soft area in the locality of Zabbar for these last two months. The car is out of repair and full of metal rust and it’s creating a scrap yard. Such material does not degrade and only benefit the environment if it’s recycled properly. This car scrap is full of contaminants that are toxic and have negative environmental effects. Oil, batteries, engine and transmission fluids, degreasers, gasoline and antifreeze are highly toxic and corrosive, even in small quantities. After contacting the Local Council in this regard I was assured that immediate actions will be taken to remove the car scrap and clean up the area. I suggested a recycling process as particularly batteries and motor oil, are recyclable, so they can be processed to pose no long-term environmental risk. Clean up actions will surely allow more space for local flora and fauna to grow.



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Dangerous Potholes

submitted by St. Margaret College Boys Secondary Verdala : Kurt Cordina  for 11-14
dissemination(s): school media
filed under Articles

Lots of potholes appeared in the locality of Marsascala precisely after the heavy which hit our island during this last winter. Along Bay-Street corner with St. Nicholas Street you come across three large ones in the middle of the street. After reporting this to the Marsascala Local Council I was asked to give the exact location of these potholes so that measures for repair and resurfacing can start. I informed the Local Council that these potholes are very dangerous especially for people crossing the road during night time. Besides this, drivers could seriously damage their vehicles while driving along this street risking also to hurt themselves. Meanwhile, I’ve suggested Hazard road signs in the area. The Local Council was grateful to me for bringing this issue to their attention. Hope that this problem will be solved soon for everyone’s benefit and to guarantee a safer environment in our locality!



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Floating Cans

submitted by St. Margaret College Boys Secondary Verdala : Kyle Vella  for 11-14
dissemination(s): school media
filed under Articles

Kalkara-Creek with a modern, safe and secure boat yard is haunted by floating cans serving as buoys beside lots of traditional Maltese boats. While some cities burn plastics to make space in landfills, Kalkara boat owners tie their boats to various plastic cans which pollute the creek and lead to health issues for both human and animal inhabitants. The plastic products, including water bottles, are particularly life-threatening to sea animals. Sea animals may mistake plastic bottles floating in the water for food, while birds can get stuck in plastic rings that strangle, or when eaten, choke them to death. After contacting the Local Council, I’ve suggested the authorities to encourage boat owners to purchase proper standard and environment friendly buoys. I’ve also suggested more awareness in this regard by posting signs encouraging standard buoys instead of plastic cans. Waiting to see the Kalkara Creek with standard environment-friendly buoys floating.



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Dumping shame

submitted by St. Margaret College Boys Secondary Verdala : Lydon Cioffi  for 11-14
dissemination(s): school media
filed under Articles

It’s a dumping-shame what we find beside some family houses in the locality of Xgħajra. This private field hosts all sort of waste, including both biodegradable and non biodegradable material. When people living besides this dumping field look through their back house windows they face all this dump waste with a daily nasty smell. Scientists warn that such unfair actions not only pollute the environment but also pose serious health hazards. Following my contact with the local council, an inspection has been done in this regard. The local authorities promised me further investigations in order to clean up this backyard dumping waste area. Unfortunately, the problem of illegal dumping is exceptionally large and extremely complex; that it would take tremendous effort, time and money to combat it. Though the cost of disposal services might be expensive it is highly essential to preserve the environment and prevent it from contamination.



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Water Scarcity… The Solution?

submitted by St. Margaret College Boys Secondary Verdala : Shaun Miguel Darmanin  for 11-14
dissemination(s): school media
filed under Articles

Water-scarcity has become a worldwide problem and many countries struggle to find water, including Malta. In Malta, 68% of water comes from groundwater, while the rest comes from seawater-desalination and this is costing four times more than underground water. In this island there are more than 8000 private boreholes and the majority were illegally drilled. It is estimated that about 21,000 liters of water are extracted per minute from these boreholes. In 2011, the government closed all household boreholes and is installing meters on agricultural and commercial boreholes. All this is being done with a grant of €2 million by the EU. Once installed the ministry responsible will monitor water extraction for one year and afterwards water quotas will be established for farmers. Is this the solution? Well, let’s hope it is, because as Benjamin Franklin once said “When the well is dry, we learn the worth of water!”



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Losing our wheels

submitted by St. Margaret College Boys Secondary Verdala : Ryan Vella  for 11-14
dissemination(s): school media
filed under Articles

This wind-pump lost its wheel during the last winter hurricane which hit our island. Situated in a private field along the road from Rabat to Dingli it is still needed today for pumping water using an alternative energy source for agricultural use. After contacting the Rabat Local Council, I was informed that funds were never allotted for the repair of such structures. However, the Ministry for Gozo has made a presentation to 18 people who, during 2009, have carried out restoration works on wind powered water pumps on their land. This work was related to a scheme launched by the same Ministry as an initiative for the eco-Gozo vision in May 2009. The aid granted represents 75% of the costs associated with the purchase of equipment and work connected with the rehabilitation of the machinery and structure. So why have the funds not been extended to our island too?



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Kindly pick those cartridges ‘skrataċ’… to put a stop to the poisoning of the soils and water aquifer at the Park tal-Majjistral!

submitted by St. Margaret College Boys Secondary Verdala : Mangion Dalton, Mentosa Mattia  for 15-18
dissemination(s): Display during parents day. Presentation in front of students of other schools. Info sent to guide who took us around the park., school magazine
filed under Articles

We aim to make the hunters conscious of what they are doing, probably unintentionally. We want them to know that if they leave behind their cartridges ‘skrataċ’ they are contaminating the soils and water aquifer with lead and plastic and we don’t want to let this happen any longer!



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Whatever Will Be, Will Be

submitted by St. Margaret College Boys Secondary Verdala : Jorgè Grech, Michael Mifsud, Nathan Povo, Nigel Mercieca  for 15-18
dissemination(s): other, school magazine, school media, School's FaceBook Page, website
filed under Articles

When I was just a little seed I asked Mother Nature, what will I be? Will I have flowers? Will I bear fruit? Here's what she said to me:   Que Sera, Sera, Whatever will be, will be The future's not good for me Que Sera, Sera The environment’s not doing fine, you see.   When I sprouted, I grew leaves I asked Mother Nature what lies ahead Will I have flowers, year after year? Here's what Mother Nature said:   Que Sera, Sera,…   Now I have seeds of my own They ask their mother, what will I be? Will I be cut? Will I be chopped? I tell them tearfully:   Que Sera, Sera, Whatever will be, will be Unless you do something for me Que Sera, Sera The environment’s not doing fine, as you can see…



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Human Interference to the Environment

submitted by St Thomas More College Girls Sec Sta Lucia : Sharon Mangion  for 15-18
filed under Articles

It was a beautiful afternoon, the few clouds in the sky were a fluffy white and the breeze was refreshingly cool as we made our way to Buskett. One of the greatest problems that the world is facing today is that of environmental pollution, increasing with every passing year and causing irreparable damage to the earth.Upon our arrival we were left speechless with the major human interference to the trees’ habitat which as the years go by they provide the perfect homes for thousands of species of plants and animals. Another trace of human interference is the pollution made by humans, as computer parts and several other wastes were thrown in this habitat.



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