Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1493026
maltatoday | SUNDAY • 19 FEBRUARY 2023 11 ALMANAC Nature Notebook 854. Common Garden Snail SNAILS belong to a large group of animals (85,000+ species) known as molluscs, which also includes slugs, squids and octopuses. Most molluscs are aquatic, so the common garden snail (M. għakrux raġel) is rather n exception to the rule. Even so, land snails still need damp habitat to survive, which is why they shut down for the sum- mer. Another name for the garden snail – and one I hate using – is edible snail, a most unfortunate qualifier! Indeed, our humble gar- den crawler is hunted for the boiling pot by swarms of searchers who go forth after a rain shower to collect snails by the bagful. Thank- fully the animal is (still) common, and this also despite a constant chemical war waged against it, apparently for having the cheek to nibble our crops. Oh, and the raġel in the Maltese name is mislead- ing. Snails are hermaphrodite. Show love to our planet Valentine's Day is the day of the year when you are supposed to express your love to all the special ones in your life. However, it's also a day when many businesses do very well since people like to buy presents such as flowers, candy, jewellery, and other things. What was originally a Chris- tian holiday became a multi-million euro business. As a result, the day's true significance gets more and more lost, and love is increasingly com- mercialised. All these gifts are thoughtful gestures, but the more we buy and consume, the more damage is done to the Earth. And since Mother Earth has been having a hard time for a few decades, we think she de- serves to be shown more love and kindness. Since every product we buy has an impact on the environment, you should think about how much and what you consume. In addition to government action, we also need to change our habits. In doing so, simple behavioural changes in terms of consumption can have a big impact! One simple way to spread the love is to incorporate the three Rs of sustainability into your lifestyle: Reduce, Reuse and Recycle. Victor Falzon, Desirée Falzon www.birdlifemalta.org Green idea of the week 742: Get involved and come to our events https://foemalta.org/ events/ Visit Friends of the Earth's website for more information about our work, as well as information about how to join us. You can also support us by sending us a donation – www.foemalta.org/donate Don't miss this Mary Spiteri: My Life 16 April 2023 Place: Mediterranean Conference Centre With a grand career in singing spanning over 50 years, Mary Spiteri is among the most popular singers in Malta. With a career of over five decades, she rose to international fame when representing Malta in the Eurovision Song Contest in 1992 with her song Little Child. Mary Spiteri is also well-known for her version of the piece Tema '79 from the most well- known Maltese rock opera Ġensna. Mary Spiteri: My Life celebrates this iconic Maltese singer, her life and career by means of a repertoire of songs and interviews with the participation of Mary Spiteri and guest singers. Mary Spiteri: My Life is the first biography of the sort to be produced live in a theatre. Give nature a voice. Become a BirdLife member Trikki Trakki Festival 2023 25, 26 March Place: M Space Trikki Trakki turns SIX! The popular children's festival will return to Blue Box yet again and will see applying school students get the chance to cast aside all day to day distractions and fully commit to working with leading theatre directors to produce brand new adaptations of popular theatre classics to a public audience! A GOOD WEEK Good Week/Bad Week A BAD WEEK Jodie Comer was among the winners at the first gender-neutral WhatsOnStage Awards, which saw all four of the major acting prizes go to women. The Killing Eve star was named best performer in a play at Sunday's ceremony after starring in sexual assault drama Prima Facie last year. Actor Bruce Willis has frontotemporal dementia, his family has announced. In a statement on social media, they said it was a "relief to finally have a clear diagnosis". The 67-year-old was diagnosed with aphasia - which causes difficulties with speech - in spring last year. Other winners included the stars of To Kill A Mockingbird and Legally Blonde. They expressed their "deepest gratitude for the incredible outpouring of love".