Buskett Educational Centre Opens For Families, Kids And Visitors

Jul 19 2023

The Buskett Educational Centre, a hub of environmental awareness for families, school children and other visitors to the Buskett Woodlands, was opened by Minister for the Environment, Energy and Enterprise Miriam Dalli on Tuesday morning.

Through this €240,000 investment, Ambjent Malta transformed the disused agrarian rooms at the principal entrance to the woodlands into a new building to host seed-planting experiences and other environment education activities.

While meeting children from the St Nicholas College summer school Rabat, who were visiting the Buskett Woodlands on Tuesday, Minister Miriam Dalli noted the creation of this centre in one of Malta’s most beautiful Natura 2000 sites continues to emphasise the importance of environmental education as a catalyst for a more sustainable future.

“Thousands of families and school children visit Buskett to be closer to nature, to take in the greenery and fresh air. Ambjent Malta’s educational centre at this location will remind these visitors that we all have a crucial role to play in our shared effort to protect the environment. It will be a source of knowledge about these woodlands’ biodiversity, while raising awareness on sustainable practices that we can adopt in our daily lives to aspire for a greener tomorrow,” the Minister said.

Minister Dalli thanked the Ambjent Malta team who planned and completed this new educational centre and encouraged them to continue investing in environmental awareness with more innovative activities at Buskett and other green open spaces, in coming years.

The Buskett Educational Centre was designed to blend in the historical, verdant surroundings of the woodlands, using Maltese stone and traditional architectural features. It includes a multi-functional hall, an office for the team that will be running the centre’s activities, and sanitary facilities. It was also equipped with security cameras, wi-fi internet and air conditioning, for the comfort and security of visitors.

Ambjent Malta Environmental Projects Director Josianne Muscat explained that through this centre, Ambjent Malta aims to bring together various stakeholders, including, schools, communities, and businesses, to help create a shared responsibility towards the environment. The centre’s focus will be on environmental education and seed planting activities, especially for children.

“As school children engage in such activities, they develop a deep connection with nature, understanding the importance of preserving the Earth’s resources and protecting its fragile ecosystems. As they grow into adulthood, they will carry forward their environmental values and practices, influencing their communities, workplaces, and policy decisions,” Muscat said.

The Buskett Educational Centre is open to the public every day, from 8:30am to 1pm between June and September, and from 8:30am to 3pm between October and May.

#MaltaDaily

Hong Kong Residents Urged To Stare At Smokers To Stop Them

Jul 19 2023

Hong Kong residents are being encouraged to combat smoking in the city by adopting a unique approach – staring disapprovingly at smokers.

The initiative, known as “staring down smokers,” aims to create a tobacco-free environment by employing social pressure.

The campaign was launched by the Hong Kong Council on Smoking and Health (COSH) and encourages non-smokers to give smokers a disapproving look when they light up in public spaces.

COSH hopes that the disapproving stares will make smokers more aware of the negative social impact of their habit and potentially motivate them to quit. They believe that this approach can create a sense of social responsibility and encourage smokers to think twice before lighting up in public places, where smoking is prohibited.

The “staring down smokers” campaign is part of a wider effort to make Hong Kong a tobacco-free city. While smoking rates have been declining in recent years, smoking is still prevalent in certain areas, especially among the older population.

By utilizing social pressure, COSH aims to change societal attitudes towards smoking and create an environment where smoking is seen as socially unacceptable.

This unconventional approach has sparked mixed reactions from the public. While some see it as an innovative way to discourage smoking, others question its effectiveness and argue that it may lead to confrontations.

Nevertheless, COSH remains optimistic about the campaign’s potential impact and hopes that it will contribute to the long-term goal of a tobacco-free Hong Kong.

Do you think this is an effective strategy?

#MaltaDaily

June 2023 Starts Summer With Gloomy And Windy Weather

Jul 19 2023

After a rather dreary start to the summer, characterized by damp and gloomy days, the weather gradually shifted towards a more summery atmosphere as the temperature began to rise.

In fact, the highest air temperature of the month, 35.2°C, was reached on the twenty-third day. However, the record for the highest June temperature remains at 41.5°C, achieved on the final day of June in 2021.

The lowest temperature recorded last month was 16.5°C on June 2nd. Despite the temperature increase towards the end of the month, the cooler beginning resulted in an average air temperature of 24.2°C, aligning with the monthly climatic norm.

Although the wet weather accompanied the cooler days during the initial phase of the month, June did not experience above-average rainfall.

Only 3.4 mm of rainfall was measured, falling 2.6 mm short of the climatic norm. The wettest day of the month was June 5th, with 1.6 mm of rainfall.

Throughout the month, there were two instances of fog observed by the Meteorological Office, one more than the typical June average.

Despite the sunny and hot days that characterized the latter part of June, the instability at the beginning, coupled with a higher cloud cover than usual, resulted in a gloomier month. June saw 313.3 hours of sunshine, falling short of the climatic norm by 20.8 hours.

The gloomiest day was the sixth, with no recorded sunshine hours, while the following day enjoyed the most sunshine, with 13 hours.

An examination of the wind data collected during the month reveals that June was slightly windier than anticipated, with an average wind speed exceeding the climatic norm of 7.6 knots by 0.3 knots.

The strongest gust, blowing at 39 knots from the East-Northeast, occurred on June 5th.

As June progressed and the weather grew warmer, many people flocked to the beach for a refreshing swim. Despite maintaining an average surface temperature 0.6°C lower than the norm, the sea offered beachgoers the desired relief from the heat.

#MaltaDaily

7 Tips To Deal With A Power Cut

Jul 19 2023

Here are some tips, as recommended by Facebook weather forecast page It-Temp Madwarna, on how to deal with these long power-cuts.

Various localities in Malta have been reporting extended hours of no power, with some going as long as 13 hours without any power.

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And while it is outright frustrating, especially in this heat wave, there’s only so much we can do!

Oh, and make sure any pets you have are well taken care of in this blistering heat!

#MaltaDaily