Photos

Will Fort Ricasoli be doomed forever?

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An opportunity to save Fort Ricasoli was lost when it was not included in Smart City’s master plan. Therefore we hope that when restoration works start the authorities will still be on time. Ricasoli is a fort on the island of Malta, built by the knights of Malta between 1670 and 1693. We went to the fort and interviewed some tourists and they remarked that it should be restored immediately. We should not let our historic fortifications and forts fall down as thanks to them that Malta is famous. A day will come when it will be too late to restore and recover what we have inherited. A man at Ricasoli told us that some form of specially designed artificial reef could have been built using the limestone excavated to make way for smart city to protect the Fort from sea storms. We must act now before it’s too late.



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Naughty Buoys floating in our local marinas

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What a pity to have such a beautiful Birgu marina and then distorted by lots of plastic cans floating along the sea surface of the harbour. The Birgu Marina is so picturesque and rich in architecture that it can’t hold floating plastic cans instead of normal standard buoys. The typically Maltese boats called “Luzzu” are really catchy and their various beautiful colours and styles fit so well within the Birgu marina and harbour. However, this is not the case when referring to the various floating plastic naughty buoys. We need education in this regard so that our boat owners will start opting for proper standard sea buoys which respect and fit in well with our local marinas, ports and harbours. Local government and Local Councils should work hand in hand to create more awareness in this regard.



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Stop dumping waste!

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I went around Zabbar and I found an area called “Sqaq Burzett” which was full of rubbish. I think that we should stop dumping waste. First of all it’s illegal and the second thing is that waste brings many illnesses. As you can see in this image a lot of waste has been thrown in a field. Materials dumped include plastic bags, pipes and a lot of other things. Although there is a sign that says “Don’t Litter Here” many people still throw waste. In my opinion a better environment is created when we can live in an environment free from waste. With a clean environment we could prevent illnesses. I hope that we will change our attitude so that our environment is kept in a better state!



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Our natural coastline at risk!

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The Maltese coastline is an attraction for tourists and locals, but we have to take care of it because its natural aspects can be easily lost. This photo of Mellieha bay that I took recently shows that the buildings are very close to the sea. The sea water in this part is not so frequented by people because of the garages, which are causing an eye-sore. When buildings are being built sea water gets dirty and so does not remain inviting for swimming because of the dust blowing onto the surface. The natural environment is almost non existent in this part of Mellieha. Ghadira or Mellieha bay is a focal point for both tourists and locals. It is a pity that on this side of the bay we have lost our natural environment. I hope that in the future the last natural remnants of coastline are safeguarded from further development.



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I am saving you

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Cars have become widely used but are we aware of their negative contribution to the environment? Do people think of these effects before starting their private car? Amongst other things cars produce carbon dioxide gas. This gas is a greenhouse gas which means that it contributes to the greenhouse effect. Recently greener cars are being manufactured and sold on the market. Amongst other things these manufacturers are trying to decrease the amounts of carbon dioxide produced but are these cars affordable for the public? On the other hand trees uses up the carbon dioxide produced by the cars in the photosynthesis reaction to produce oxygen. This is a vital reaction for these trees to survive and important for us due to the release of oxygen which is needed for us to respire. If the tree could talk it would say, “I’m saving you. Think twice before chopping me off!” But is there anything we could do? I think that first; every one of us needs to respect more the environment around us. If this could be achieved we will live in a healthier environment. The environment around us is vitally important so let us not destroy it ourselves.



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Hell and a blue Heaven, only a fence in between

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One would probably first think that it is situated in an undeveloped country where the citizens are in a poor state of living and sleep the night outside. It would be only from the climate that a man would realize that this country is Malta. I definitely cannot accept the fact that a country that served as a host to many invaders and played a very important role in history should be treated like this. What excuse will we use to cover these shameful actions of us in front of tourists if they see this place? That we are so kind and eco-friendly that we leave food and water on the ground for the birds that pass by this island and that we are creating a new cozy leather luggage-home for the fauna that lost its natural habitat? Or should we say that leaving unwanted food packages outside is a normal type of advertising a product in Malta? This site’s local council and other green organizations have been trying to implement the cleaning of this local and react against this dirty environment. They have cleaned a large surface of land in these areas. But it is the general public who must cooperate with these firms so that these areas will be kept clean of any trash and other unpleasant material. We can clearly see the great contrast between the marvelous sea and the unnatural disgrace on land, only a low quickly structured stone fence in between. This makes me reflect and notice that it is only just a short period of time until all of Malta will be completely polluted by its own habitants! I wonder if the situation in the North African countries is the same during or just after their times of peril and disorder. Is it possible that the Maltese man will change his attitude towards his own environment until 2015, just four years away from now?



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Environmental Sacrilege

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The situation is much worse than we thought! Is this the product of all the effort invested in educating youths? Do our youths really know what the word RESPECT means? Is this how our future adult citizens are enjoying the gift of life? Can this be the result of bad examples given by some parents to their children? Are these environmental sacrileges shoved under the carpet so no one will have to change the sinners’ act? We need to react NOW! In our opinion people should be made more aware that the environment belongs to all of us and we should take care of it. Local Councils could organise campaigns in which the environment is not only cleaned up but the causes of such behaviour are targeted. Children should be helped by schools, family and the community to acquire the necessary values to safeguard their environment and refrain from such behaviour.



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Maltese Stone vs Bricks: which is the best?

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When we refer to the Maltese rock we mean that rock which is extracted from the Maltese parameter area by any sophisticated machinery. The Maltese rock is all made out of sediment, creatures and other sea or land materials. This is mainly composed by five layers. The one which from it we build is the Globigerina Limestone. The advantage of this is that the building is given character. Its disadvantage is that workers are decreasing because it is a very hard job. But if we don’t build with our rock our traditional way of building will be destroyed. An example is the “girna” (seen in picture) which is a beautiful typical Maltese building. On the other hand, the advantage of bricks is that it will make work faster and more organised. The disadvantage is that it destroys nature. So let’s take care of the Maltese vernacular architecture which is part of our identity.



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Reaching New Heights

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In this picture, as you can see there is a pair of shoes, tied together, which were thrown from the street and hanged to the electrical wires very close to a typical stone Maltese balcony. This can cause several damages. For example, when it rains, the shoes will remain wet. We all know what water can cause when it meets electricity. It can lead to various household damages such as appliances due to electrical shortages. Apart from this they are also damaging the appearance of the locality itself and in this case obstructing the view of a beautiful Maltese traditional stone carved balcony. In my opinion these shoes should be removed by the Local Council workers in order to improve the image of this place and allow the stylish medieval stoned balcony attract the attention of anyone passing by.



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Wied Ghajn Zejtuna

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Wied Għajn Żejtuna is one of the very few valleys on the Maltese Islands which is densely covered by vegetation and where fresh water flows all year round. Unfortunately, a lot of damage has already been inflicted on this natural site. Storm water has been diverted from asphalted roads onto the river bed slopes and this resulted in a massive erosion of soil banks. Alpine trees, with very wide trunks, that were over 30 years old have been uprooted and toppled by this erosion. Furthermore, old walls are now collapsing due to lack of maintenance and dumping of domestic waste is on the rise. Debris is accumulating, and illegal camping is becoming regular. The valley’s fauna ranges from Arthropods to Mammals, such as the Green Whip snake, which is ecologically important for controlling the valley’s rats, and the North African hedgehog, which finds the valley a good refuge. Thus, by protecting the valley, one would also be safeguarding a healthy ecosystem which allows for biodiversity. One cannot stress enough the necessity of giving the valley urgent protection in order to continue being an essential habitat for all species before it is too late. Should there be development plans for this area, one should respect the importance of sustainable development although, ideally, this site would not be given permission for more development to take place.



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