Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/682623
maltatoday, SUNDAY, 22 MAY 2016 41 This Week If birds were into sports, herons and egrets would probably dominate the basketball team, on account of their long legs and tall, lean body. Ten species of herons have been recorded in Malta, in grades of frequency ranging from familiar regulars that sail overhead in spring and autumn in flocks numbering scores of birds, to the once-in-a- lifetime-and-expect-to-be-disbelieved lifer. Somewhere along the scarcer region of the spectrum is the cattle egret, a white bird with dark legs and a lovely yellow bill. The reference to cattle is because the bird often follows herds of cows (and antelope, elephants, hippopotamus, etc.) to feed on insects and other small animals disturbed by the big beasts as they walk or wallow. The cattle egret (M: agrett tal-bhejjem) is mostly a bird of tropical and subtropical regions, and 20 years ago was a rarity in Malta. In recent years, however, they are spotted practically every year. Like all the other herons, the cattle egret is protected. GREEN IDEA OF THE WEEK 410: Give it away: Before you throw something away, think about if someone else might need it. Either donate to a charitable organization or post it on a website or facebook page designed to connect people and things. Visit Friends of the Earth's website for more information about our work, as well as for information about how to join us. You can also support us by sending us a donation - www.foemalta.org/donate Text and photo Victor Falzon 507. CATTLE EGRET Good news. The science says we're not too late. But there is no time to waste. To have a safe climate, emissions must peak and start to decline by 2016. We need to cut emissions of carbon dioxide to a fifth of current levels by the middle of the century, then keep them low. And the sooner we take action, the less difficult it will be to make the change. Leading economist Sir Nicholas Stern investigated the price of tackling climate change. His report in 2006 found that the world needs to invest up to US$200 billion annually to avoid its worst effects. It's a lot of money, but it's affordable. The bottom line is we cannot afford to ignore climate change. If the world doesn't act now, we will all be hit with much higher bills in the future. Things to know about Climate Change 3 – It's not too late to avert disaster Camping at Castille TENTS are typically used as overhead shelter, be it for rec- reational purposes or for the victims of disasters. Totally out of the blue, Castille Square hosted a tent village over the past weekend. The activists manning these shelters had valid opinions to qualify their setup: they pitched camp to highlight the environmental disasters taking place at breath- taking speed. The talk was of environmental degrada- tion, viewed as an urgent threat to their wellbeing and that of future generations. Despite being a relatively young group of activists, many of them could recount playing on fields which no longer exist today, and questioned what would be left of their environment a few years down the line when they are raising their own children. To be surrounded by buildings, pollu- tion and a decrease in their quality of life equates to an environmental emergency in their view. These developments are perceived as a direct threat to their fu- ture, a happy future to which they have every right. The drastic and extremely negative en- vironmental developments we are con- fronted with demand a radical form of civil disobedience in order to stir up a strong reaction from the general public – and to convey to the powers that be that our concerns are not being taken seri- ously. The message was a clear one: there is pressing need for a step away from par- tisan political thinking, which allows such environmental degradation, towards a more critical and conscious elector- ate. This can lead to a more responsive and environmen- tally-friendly style of govern- ance and policy making. A point has been reached where listening to one's con- science, that aptitude, intui- tion or judgement that assists in distinguishing right from wrong, must override listening to parti- san messages alone. An underlying con- sensus was registered, that these young activists would like to see a tradition of protest growing in civil society. It is good to note that the tent village did not target either political direction, but was a call to both to give our envi- ronment the due respect it deserves. And following that, the respect that the hap- piness of future generations equally de- serves. Decreased quality of life is felt every- where. A short walk through any town or village is accompanied by toxic exhaust fumes, while protected land is nonethe- less hounded for new development at all costs. Where once recreation outdoors was possible, the opportunities are be- coming increasingly limited. Numerous parents among the activ- ists had serious concerns, thinking about what they would be offering their children in the coming years. Looking around, registering buildings and more buildings, but hardly any trees, how would the island they all love and cherish look if this environmental degradation is allowed to continue unbridled? They understood very clearly that our environ- ment does not exist in a vacuum; it affects our emotions, our mental and physical states, profoundly. Perhaps their action did come as a sur- prise, but the breath of fresh air was a welcome one in our society which tends to grumble and fuss readily, but then be- comes less eager to become actively en- gaged in decision-making processes. Pro- cesses that will affect each and every one of us in some way or other. More than just a token of protest, the tent village at Castille also needs to be understood as an outreach by young ac- tivists, whose voices and opinions count just as much as that of any other mem- ber of society, to all those who wish to do something, to secure a healthy environ- ment for all. How fitting then, that tents were used to convey a clear and strong message in favour of our environment. Tents, which are often used to shelter the victims of disasters. That thought is worth ponder- ing on. Jorg Sicot is a Committee Member at Flimkien għal Ambjent Aħjar Jorg Sicot Kamp Emergenza Ambjent set up an 'Occupy'-style action at Castille Square last week