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19 LETTERS & EDITORIAL maltatoday | SUNDAY • 2 JUNE 2019 Mikiel Galea Kids showing how it's done FROM this year St Margaret Middle School in Cospicua started banning the use of one-time plastic objects which include plastic forks and cups, foil containers and paper bags which were used for the distribution of food in the school tuck shop. Staff members were also encouraged to bring their own cups instead of mak- ing use of plastic cups when using the coffee machine in the staff room. This initiative was promoted by the Head Teacher during a special assembly held at school. The aim behind this assem- bly was to raise awareness on the nega- tive impact of the overuse of plastic on the environment. Students were shown videos that portray the devastating effect that plas- tic has on our oceans and marine life, particularly sea creatures like turtles that mistakenly ingest plastic garbage as food or else get entangled in plas- tic materials that are thrown in the sea. The Head Teacher and speakers stressed how important it is for every individual to make a small effort to cut out on plastic. Students were encour- aged to bring forks and containers from home as well as drinking bottles which can be refilled with water from the tuck shop. The school also encourages waste separation and recycling and, in fact, there are a number of recycling bins around the school, even in classrooms. Moreover, the students are also actively involved in activities that promote environmental awareness. A group of students, together with their teachers, will be taking part in the project 'GROW 10 TREES', where they will plant local endemic trees and plants from seeds which will eventually be transferred to a sustainable site after sprouting. In so doing the students will appreci- ate the value of trees and the environ- ment around them. Another group of students created a chart entitled 'No to Plastic'. The students themselves came up with the ideas, mascot, choice of colours, layout, wording and presenta- tion as a campaign against the use of plastic. As part of their Easter outings a number of our students went to Gold- en Bay where they took part in a clean- ing activity organised by Zibel, a non- government organisation. Students were each given a small sifter and asked to keep aside small pieces of plastic and glass as these take hundreds of years to be broken down further. Around 8kg of micro plastics were removed from the sandy beach by our students. All the girls and boys felt satisfied with their contribution in beautifying the bay. They also realised that the remains they collected came from all around the world since the sea currents carry everything, everywhere! As a result, our school helped in making our sea a safer place for the creatures inhabiting it. Maria Falzon Cospicua Petition on Euro IN 2012 an individual petition was sent to the European Parliament peti- tions committee on the euro currency and its hidden reserves as a currency of reconciliation. While it was declared admissible, the chairperson wrote to me as the petitioner saying the committee could do nothing about, and it was being archived. Today it is probably timely for family life, and could be raised by Maltese parliamentarians in Brussels and Valletta for the follow- ing reasons: While a degree of economic and so- cial confusion and popular fear reigns throughout Malta and Europe, the peace that the Risen Christ has left us as Christians can see us all through in humility and silence. Because faith and science can work hand in hand for the future of man through resurrecting this Euro cur- rency proposal for an international experiment in national development based on Malta economic and social actualities. The fruitful outcome might be re- sponsible innovation in financial ser- vices in a good spirit in Malta to help set up Universal Declaration on the Rights of Nations towards a dialogue of civilisations in the face of regional enmities and global indifferences by extending the euro's classic role as the currency of reconciliation. Peter Cassar Torreggiani Balzan Letters & Clarifications