ECO becomes a Foundation.
Policy Papers
· Coral reefs in Malta
· Public Transport
· Use of private cars
· Plastics
· Wood and trees
· Drinking water
· Soil
· Natural Gas
· Electricity
· Oil
· Glass bottles
· Animal Rights
· Rubble Walls
· Soil
· Cars
· Urban environment
The European Union and the
Mediterranean
Co-operation with the European Environmental
Bureau on a number of issues related to the European Union, although
Malta's application was frozen during 1996.
Requested the government to join the
European Environmental Agency.
Published articles on EIONET (Euro Environment
Info and Observation Network), as well as a series of 6 articles
on the Environment in the EU. Other articles were about environmental
principles and all EU public transport institutions.
Published a letter from the Mediterranean
Sea both locally and abroad
Followed the Euro Mediterranean Process
and attended related meetings.
Lobbying and Law Enforcement
ECO sets up the ECO paper bank and the
ECO glass bank. Over the first months 400 tonnes of waste paper
were exported to be recycled. Many businesses and individuals
took paper to the ECO paper bank in Luqa. Malta produces 23,000
tonnes of paper every year. Therefore if all this paper were
recycled we would save 700,000 tress a year.
ECO lobbied on the use of quarries; the
Sant Antnin Recycling Plant; tipping fees for the disposal of
waste; animal rights; against the cutting of trees in Christmas;
in favour of the setting up of a wardens system to protect the
environment and historical sites; the protection of frogs; and
in favour of a metro system.
ECO attended the meetings of the Planning
Authorities Planning Consultative\ Committee. The ECO representative
presented ECOs position on various occasions.
ECO asked the general public to vote
for environmentally conscious local council candidates.
ECO continued to lobby against the airstrip
in Gozo till the application was withdrawn.
Environmental Education
and campaigns
ECO launches an education pack: "Nibnu Dinja Wahda" that
included a teachers manual, activity sheets, 8 posters, role
play, discussion papers, and stickers. Copies of the manual were
distributed to all schools.
ECO organised the IV Ecological
Summit. Participants included Prime Minister Fenech Adami;
Dr Alfred Sant, leader of the opposition; Dr Stanley Zammit,
Parliamentary Secretary in the Ministry of Environment; Michael
Falzon, Minister of Education, teachers from various private
and public schools as well as local council representatives.
The ECO International Children's Hearing
was held on the 10th of April. Parliamentarians listened to 50
children talk about the environment, drugs, children rights,
animal rights, among other subjects. The parliamentarians included
Dr Stanley Zammit, Charles Buhagiar and Anne Zammit.
A clean up was held at Ghajn Tuffieha.
29 youths cleaned the beach and distributed Save Our Seas material.
As part of the "Making
One World" Campaign various articles were published
on National Newspapers and Radio and Television interviews carried
out. The very popular Xummiemu (a hedgehog) stories were published
on the children's magazine Saghtar on a monthly basis.
Circa 3500 persons visited the ECO web
page that includes info on all ECOs campaigns.
Environmental education activities were
carried out on these themes: internet and the environment; solar
energy; sustainable development; food in the 3rd world; quarries;
food production in Malta; population; water; paper; pre-recycling;
tins; motor cycles and wood.
ECO books and brochures with the theme
All Different All Equal were distributed to all primary schools.
Participated in the Environment Fair
at the Giovanni Curmi Higher Secondary.
A national drawing competition was held
together with WWF.
Books were donated to the Gozo seminary
The Fjuri
fil-Gallerija competition was held. Hundreds of households
decorated their verandas with flowered pots. Dr Stanley Zammit,
Parliamentary Secretary in the Ministry of Environment distributed
the prizes to the winners among the 600 participants.
A survey on 800 people on Solar Energy
was held. This formed part of a Use
Solar Energy campaign sponsored by Cutrico. Posters and stickers
were distributed to over 3000 outlets.
ECO publishes "Stejjer Ekologici",
a booklet written by 14 Maltese and Gozitan youths. 527 stories
were received from Maltese and Gozitan children.
+1baby=+1 tree campaign was organised together with F.Zammit
Nurseries. 5000 tress were offered to the 67 local councils to
plant one for each baby born in their locality. The campaign
was launched by Dr Stanley Zammit, Parliamentary Secretary, and
thousands of postcards and posters were distributed.
One Race Human Race (Campaign
on Racism)
A concert "Colours on Rhythm"
that focused on racism, ethnic minorities, marginalized groups
was held at University. Participants in the concert included
Limestone Kick, Claudette Pace, Mike Spiteri, Debbie Scerri and
Mark Tonna.
Call for the abolition of the death penalty.
Worked for the rights of children, especially
against child labour (see policy papers).
Celebration of the UN Day Against Racism
in March.
The International Day Against Fascism
was remembered on the 9th November through an informative article
(in conjunction with UNITED).
Celebrated the refugees' day (in conjunction
with UNITED).
To mark International Aids Day a recycled
party was held at Euphoria Club, Paceville.
International Activities
and Miscellaneous
The Clean up the Mediterranean campaign
was organised on behalf of LegaAmbiente.
A tree planting session was organised
on Arbor Day and the campaign to save Tropical Forests was continued.
Various activities were held as part
of the National Clean Up the World Campaign.
Attended various meetings and conferences
organised by MED Forum, EYFA, YEE, PETA, BB Foundation and FYEG
of whom ECO is a member.
Participated in the World Wide Fund's
Across the Waters campaign.
ECO set up a nursery for indigenous trees
in Birgu. These tress will be distributed as necessary.
ECO continued offering individuals a
service by which they could purchase acres of tropical rain forest,
mostly in Costa Rica.
