EkoSkola Malta is one of the projects of Nature Trust – FEE Malta. In the past years EkoSkola Malta gave a great importance to education for sustainable development in our country.
During these years EkoSkola gave our students the ability to engage in hands on activities and gave them the experience and necessary knowledge regarding sustainable environment. During committee meetings students discuss several issues like recycling, paper waste, food waste and others. Our EkoSkola committee is made up of 6 students. This committee is then overseen by Ms Claire Cassar and Ms Crystielle Farrugia Cortis; whom are always present during committee meetings and during all the activities related to EkoSkola. Our EkoSkola’s EcoCode is:
HAVE A PLASTIC FREE BITE
The EcoCode was chosen specifically to reflect our mission in eliminating the use of disposable plastic related to food preparation and consumption. At our school EkoSkola takes a cross-curricular approach, where EkoSkola reaches all students attending our centre through different subjects, like Literacy and Numeracy. Moreover, EkoSkola complements other projects at our school, such as LEAF and LitterLessCampaign.
EkoSkola 2021 – 2022
Waste Serv Initiative
Our school’s EkoSkola team invited WasteServ to hold informative and hands-on activities about Waste Management for both educators and students. Students took turns to separate waste and dispose of it in different bins.
Data Collection
Composting
Students from the school throwing away waste from their small organic bins into the big ones installed in the school. This initiative is encouraging our school staff and students to recycle our organic waste.
EkoSkola Meeting
This month’s EkoSkola meeting started with a quick recap of what composting is about; mainly what we put and don’t put in the bin. We then moved on to a more hands-on task. Students joined their effort and built two large compost bins to be used by the whole school. Afterward, the team went around the school grounds to decide the best possible spots where to locate the two bins so that they are easily accessed by all classes.
Community Clean Up
As part of our EkoSkola program, we invited and encouraged the whole school community to do a clean up.
European Week for Waste Reduction (EWWR)
Week for Waste Reduction 2020. Throughout our activities, we aimed to explore and encourage different ways of waste reduction.
Online Good Waste Reduction Practices
All classes of Guardian Angel School have participated in online calls between classes to share good waste reduction practices. Each class shared its ideas and explained their efforts to not increase plastic in the school. Besides that, staff and students also exchanged tips on how to reduce waste that maybe the other party was not aware of. This is part of the Litterless project.
Reusable Aprons
Through the LitterLessCampaign funds, reusable aprons were bought so that during cooking sessions they can be used. This initiative helped to reduce plastic waste.
Reusable Plates
Reusable Cutlery
Another initiative introduced and implemented in our school was the elimination of plastic cutlery in our school. Reusable stainless steel cutlery was bought and encouraged to be used instead.
EkoSkola Committee
The EkoSkola Coordinators held an EkoSkola meeting. Five of the current EkoSkola members were present: Megan Wheeler, Max Waltzing, Mariah Micallef Caruana, Roan Marquette and Matthew Grech.
EkoSkola Committee
Max Waltzing; Megan Wheeler; Mariah Micallef Caruana; Roan Marquette; Matthew Grech; Clyde Bajada
Coordinators: Ms Crystielle Farrugia Cortis; Ms Claire Cassar
EkoSkola 2019 – 2020
Hosting the Eco-Schools Awards Ceremony with honour
During the month of October, our school hosted the EkoSkola Awards Ceremony for the first time. Nevan Azzopardi, President of our EkoSkola Committee, opened the ceremony by making a speech in front of his Excellency, President of Malta, Dr. George Abela and all the guests present.
This was our fourth year in the EkoSkola programme and our school was awarded with the second consecutive Green Flag.
Furthermore, Nevan and Thomas Gusman presented small tokens to his Excellency, Dr. Abela which were kindly made by Ms Sue Mifsud and our students during the Pottery sessions at Guardian Angel.
Green Flag Award
For the second consecutive time our school won the most prestigious Green Flag Award. Well done to all those involved in this process especially to our students!
EkoSkola Parliament Session
For our third consecutive year, two students from the EkoSkola students’ committee participated in the EkoSkola Parliament session. During this session, students from different schools voiced their ideas regarding issues which are effecting them negatively. These included air pollution and global warming, the massive use of plastic and waste management. Students not only pointed out the difficulties but they suggested alternative ways and means for a better environment.
Having experienced a Parliament session, our students learnt how to debate and point out difficulties. Such skills will continue to be practiced during our EkoSkola committees.
Numeracy
Students revisited the value of numbers and were introduced to the concept of more and less with the use of bottle caps which we are collecting as a recycled project.
EkoSkola Meeting
In a short meeting last week, the EkoSkola committee saw the results of the Paper Recycling Session. Our students were really happy with the results and decided to do the activity again. During the meeting, it was highlighted the need and importance of trees and recycling.
Paper Recycling
This week we had the pleasure of welcoming Mr. Johann Gatt, LEAF Coordinator, who gave a demonstration on paper recycling, which is also one of the proposals in our Action Plan. The students showed great interest in this procedure and where amused by the results.
‘Grow 10 Trees’
During recent meetings, members of the EkoSkola have decided to join the ‘Grow 10 Trees‘ project initiated by the Scouts Association of Malta. This project is about making Malta greener and to do so members joining are encouraged to grow a number of local trees and plants from seeds. Guardian Angel was provided with seeds of the Ballut ( Quercus Ilex) and Harrub (Carob Tree), two indigenous trees of our island. Thanks to the cooperation of Parents and Guardians the first step of this project has already been completed; collecting empty milk cartons so that the seeds can be put in them.
Committee Meeting
During our last committee meeting, to which our Head of School Mr. Cilia was present, the students had the opportunity to discuss the committee progress and give feedback on issues raised. Students also gave suggestions on how to implement ideas for a better environment at our school.
Cap collection
For our first plastic caps collection for the year 2019, 180kgs of caps were collected! The EkoSkola committee would like to thank parents, staff and other private entities who always give us their constant support. Well done!
