Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1509678
maltatoday | SUNDAY • 15 OCTOBER 2023 7 ALMANAC Nature Notebook 888. Giant Reed WHEN we think "grass" (in the strictly botanical sense!) we usually visualise a nice green carpet of short ankle-high plants. But grasses can be very tall too. Our tallest species – and indeed the tallest in the Med – is the giant (or great) reed, which can tower 10m. That's three storeys! I admit I've never seen a specimen this tall in Malta, but 4–5m is quite regular. The giant reed (M. qasab) is not actually native but has been in the region for millennia (probably introduced by the Romans). The plant is fond of water, so where you see a stand or a line of them it usually means there's wet ground underneath, usually the presence of a stream. At this time of year the giant reed regales us with its flowers: a tall golden plume that grows from its topmost stalk. By the way, many people think the giant reed is the FOEM Feedback on the draft National Policy for Off- shore Renewable Energy Friends of the Earth Malta submitted their comments and feedback to the draft National Policy for the Deployment of Offshore Renewable Energy. Malta has one of the lowest RES shares in the EU, so there is a strong need to ramp up efforts, to reduce fossil fuel dependence and increase energy security. Given this, we are happy to see the gov- ernment committing to accelerated ambitions for the transition to re- newable energy sources (RES) and the ambition for the country to be climate neutral in 2050. In our comments, we emphasized that a streamlined permitting sys- tem should still include the necessary checks and balances to ensure that renewable energy projects do not cause excessive social and en- vironmental impacts on marine ecosystems, and that they align with other obligations, including marine ecosystem protection. Victor Falzon www.birdlifemalta.org Green idea of the week 771: Read the full feedback on our website: https://foemalta.org/blog/ offshore_energy_feedback/ 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 Spooktacular Pumpkin Carving On 30 and 31 October Place: Playmobil FunPark Malta Have a Spooktacular time at the Playmobil FunPark Halloween Party! - Pumpkin Carving - Halloween Games - Trick or Treat - Playmobil Voucher - Playmobil Halloween Stickers - Kids meal (Chicken nuggets with chips, pizza margherita or pasta with red sauce + water or orange squash) - Raffle During the event a smoke machine will be used to enhance the Halloween atmosphere around the FunPark Give nature a voice. Become a BirdLife member The Nutcracker by Moveo Dance Company On 1, 2, 3, 8, 9, 10 December Place: Valletta Campus Theatre "Every year at Christmas, snowflakes fall like a sweet winter dance. One Christmas Eve, young Clara receives a nutcracker; an inanimate puppet, which she holds tightly as she falls asleep. Drifting into a dreamworld, all her toys magically come to life and take her to an enchanted world full of sparkle, joy and colour." Moveo's rendition of 'The Nutcracker', merges the magic of choreography to Tchaikovsky's unmistakable music. We bring this classic story to life in a performance that is sure to create memorable moments for all. An unmissable Christmas performance for the whole family! A GOOD WEEK Good Week/Bad Week A BAD WEEK A painting stolen during a museum heist in Glasgow more than 30 years ago has been found after being put up for auction by an unsuspecting seller. Thieves deactivated an alarm system and climbed up a ladder and through an upstairs window to break into the Haggs Castle Museum of Childhood in 1989. A senior Disney creative has warned the actors' strike could halt animation production later this year. Jennifer Lee, chief creative officer of Walt Disney Animation Studios, has been able to "keep things going" up to now. They stole a cache of artefacts, some on loan from the world famous Burrell Collection. But the actors union, whose members include her husband, the actor Alfred Molina, has been on strike for nearly three months