11-14

Wind Energy

submitted by The Archbishop's Seminary : Irvine Sultana  for 11-14
dissemination(s): newspaper, school magazine, school media, website
filed under Photos

The Xarolla Windmill has been recently restored. Locals are very proud of this architectural testimonial which showcases a small yet important part of the life of our hard working ancestors. Our small island is decorated with such beauty and our people and local councils are working to keep it well. In this world, bigger countries have less historical features than we do so decreasing vandalism will enable more citizens to enjoyed such architectural gems. The windmill is a perfect of example which utilizes a natural renewable resource to work – wind. Wind energy used to make the palettes turn and these in turn rotated a simple gear wheel within the windmill itself. This was connected to circular plates between which wheat could be placed and then ground to produce flour and semolina. It is a sustainable practice which does not impinge on the already threatened energy industry.



Read More

We never know the worth of water till the well runs dry

submitted by The Archbishop's Seminary : Nick Mifsud  for 11-14
dissemination(s): newspaper, school magazine, school media, website
filed under Photos

Water is indeed a precious resource locally. Since most of the rain usually falls between October and March, its scarcity during the summer months creates a huge quandary for local farmers. The picture was taken after an abrupt storm but it can be easily noticed that the water run-off is huge. Unfortunately a large amount of run off rain water ends being lost since it finds its way back to the sea. It would be great if more reservoirs could be built, maybe under new apartment blocks in order to make better use of this resource. This the way forward for sustainability.



Read More

Adaptation at its best

submitted by The Archbishop' s Seminary : Christian Falzon, Julian Seguna, Keith Borg, Kyle Farrugia, Malcolm Agius  for 11-14
dissemination(s): newspaper, school magazine, website
filed under Photos

The chameleon – Chamaleo chameleon, is an introduced reptile, in the sense that this specie was not originally found here. It has however adapted greatly to the local habitats. The typical habitats in which it lives are usually maquis, steppes and garigue. Known also as a Mediterranean species, it can also be found in specific areas in the South of Europe and also in Northern Africa. This type of species is different from other chameleons found around the world because it has an upward crest on the back part of its head. Although chameleons are famously known for the way they change their colour to camouflage themselves, in reality the colour changes because of varying body temperature. Chameleons eat insects such as mosquitoes and flies so they are very beneficial. To eat, they shoot out their sticky tongue further than the length of their head and body combined!



Read More

Recycling Citrus

submitted by St Edward's College : Mattia Agius Muscat  for 11-14
dissemination(s): newspaper, school magazine, school media, website
filed under Video Clips

An interview with a local agricultural worker, who explains to us how easy it is to recycle even bio-degradable products in nature. Citrus peels are very common in our kitchen and provide our soil with very rich nutrients. Young Reporter for the Environment from Malta investigates the properties of citrus peel as ideal compost material.



Read More

The Environment Surrounding Us …

submitted by St.Joseph Mater Boni Consilii Paola : Mariah Schembri, Nicole Camilleri  for 11-14
dissemination(s): school media, website
filed under Video Clips

My friend and I went to the countryside and took many photos of rubbish which people threw; we were impressed with all that litter we saw. We wish that we clean the countryside but there is so much litter and people are always dumping more. We hope that people seeing this video reflect upon these photos and see how we are ruining The Environment Surrounding Us … we should encourage more people to take care of our planet, after all this is OUR World, OUR Environment!



Read More

Article 11-14 yrs 1st place National Winner: Sliema – where has the “peace” gone?!

submitted by Sliema St. Joseph School : Caroline Vassallo, Marta Cachia  for 11-14
dissemination(s): school media
filed under Articles

Our school is located in the heart of Sliema. Over the past years, our journey towards school has always ended with a peaceful, picturesque ride by the Sliema coastline. The situation has, however, changed drastically over the past year. This change has been mainly brought about by the extensive construction and road works being carried out. These works lead to a variety of problems: traffic congestion, potholes and broken pavements, lack of parking, noise pollution and air pollution. The dust particles in the air have also affected the pH value of rain water, making it alkaline. Among our proposals, we think that only a limited number of permits for construction should be approved at one time and there should be prompt resurfacing of roads. Sliema residents deserve peace and tranquillity in their day to day lives.



Read More

Article 11-14 yrs 2nd place National Winner: A healthy environment means a healthy generation!

submitted by ST. Margaret College Girls' Secondary School Zejtun : Cherise Grech, Graziella Chetcuti, Megan Galea, Paula Gambin, Shannon Pace  for 11-14
dissemination(s): Dissemination during school assemblies, newspaper, other, school magazine, school media
filed under Articles

Right now, the topic of nitrate leaching is a very widely-discussed topic throughout the world, including in Malta. A group of students investigated the amount of nitrates leached by three different types of fertilizers in two different types of soil. Water soluble fertilizer, fertilizer pellets and cow manure were used because we wanted to study a variety of natural and artificial fertilizers. Loam and clay soils were used as these soils are quite common in Malta. This article summaries the findings of this study.



Read More

Article 11-14 yrs 3rd place National Winner: Cave Save

submitted by ST. Margaret College Girls' Secondary School Zejtun : Celine Camilleri  for 11-14
dissemination(s): Dissemination during school assemblies, newspaper, other, school magazine, school media
filed under Articles

This article is about Għar Lapsi, a cave which has lately collapsed. The author discusses a number of remedies that can be put into practice in order avoid other parts of this natural beauty from falling down. The advantages and disadvantages of each possible solution are examined.



Read More

Photo 11-14 yrs 1st place National Winner: Dump vs. Nature

submitted by The Archbishop's Seminary : Jonathan Joseph Barbara  for 11-14
dissemination(s): school media
filed under Photos

I took this photo when I went for a walk with my family in the countryside in Baħrija. I still can’t believe my eyes that after so many talks about taking care of the environment, there are still people who don’t care and dump their rubbish anywhere they want. We are lucky that in Malta we have five different civic amenity sites which open every day and are free of charge for the public to make use of. Even Local Councils offer free services to come to our house and pick up bulky waste. Unfortunately sometimes people seem not to be bothered to use this service. We definitely need to increase the awareness and help people understand the real impacts of such actions. At the end of the day it does not only boil down to eyesores but direct impacts on our surroundings – which basically shape our lives.



Read More

Photo 11-14 yrs 2nd place National Winner: Waste Not, Want Not

submitted by Our Lady Immaculate School Hamrun : Yasmin Joy Attard  for 11-14
dissemination(s): Ekoskola notice board during 2nd term and Parents' Days., other
filed under Photos

This is freshwater running down a hill in Siggiewi after a heavy rain pour. All this water is being lost as there is no way for it to be collected for further use, especially in the fields. Imagine that every area has its own reservoir, supplied by rainwater. One would gladly turn to this water than use groundwater, which now comes at a cost, to irrigate the fields or to use domestically. Hence, building channels for water that lead to a reservoir would help twofold: first it reduces the amount of groundwater pumped up and then reduce the cost of water.



Read More