Act on Animal Welfare...

Star, the dog who was saved after being shot and buried alive has caught the attention of many and raised questions on animal welfare. During the coming days there will be the following:

Affari Tagħna (Local TV program)

Date: 4th June

Time: 20.30

Location: City Gate Valletta

If you wish to attend the above programme to support the demonstration taking place on the 5th please send us an email on: green.uom@gmail.com

...and..

Silent Protest

Date: 5th June

Time: 17.00 - 19.00

Location: The Ferries, Sliema

We also strongly urge you to join us and others in our joint call against animal cruelty and for higher penalties on those abusethat abuse of animals.

Additional details: One may bring their dog with him / her as long as you bring along a bowl, water and plastic bag for the dog's needs! :) And if you feel creative enough, you may bring along your own posters / banners. :)

Link:

http://www.facebook.com/StarOurHope

Two other Actions!

Istrina in favour of Abandoned Animals

Description:

As the title clearly states, this group is created so that IF possible, in next December's Istrina, money would be also collected for all poor abused and abandoned animals. And I know there are many animal lovers out there who would love to contribute towards this aim. Please if you still share my same way of thinking, join and support me with likes and posts. It would be beneficial if you could forward this msg with your friends, post it on to your walls if you wish to and invite more people to join in. This is a group where anyone sharing our beliefs is welcome. Let's make this possible, with your help!

Link:

http://www.facebook.com/home.php?sk=group_182513738445179&ap=1

Romanian Petitions against stray dog Euthanasia

Description:

Dogs living on the streets is a huge problem in Romania, there are an estimated 100, 000 dogs living on the street in Bucharest alone. During this month, the Romanian parliament is expected to decide the fate of thousands of stray dogs in the Balkan nation. Currently, Romanian law dictates that only dogs with health or behavioral problems may be euthanized. But the legislation could open the door for the legal mass killing of all of Romania's dogs with local authorities being in charge. World Society for the Protection of Animals (WSPA) are stressing that not only is the euthanasia of all stray dogs an inhumane method of stray population control, it is ineffective as well. Also enphasising on the fact that such a control will cost about 4.8 million euros which will not be long term effective anyway. Other Coalitions are urging the solution with neutering on a larger scale. The Romanian Parliament could not vote the mass euthanasia today because some members of parliament were absent and their presence was fundamental to have a valid outcome, so we have till Monday to make a Difference!

Action:

Taking action by:

1. Signing the petition from the link below and spread the word, http://bit.ly/hCQjnc

2. Sending emails to Maltese European members of parliament urging them to discuss this and perhaps persuade Romanians members of parliament that this is not the right control method as it is inhumane and ineffective;

john.attard-montalto@europarl.europa.eu

simon.busuttil@europarl.europa.eu

david.casa@europarl.europa.eu

louis.grech@europarl.europa.eu

edward.scicluna@europarl.europa.eu

3. Sending emails to the Romanian members of Parliament especially those that are abstaining or who have not voted yet. Contacts are in this link http://bit.ly/mgmnfB

(Facts from the dogs trust and how this legislation will not be the solution when implementing this legislation are found in this website;http://bit.ly/mdBmYH )

Link: http://on.fb.me/iqV8VF

The Dwelling for the Green at Heart: Greenhouse- It’s All about Sustainability

An article on the past activities of Greenhouse which was published by KSU as part of the Environmental Fair publications, written by Malcolm Borg, Executive Member.

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With the University lacking a student environmental organisation, Greenhouse set forth to fill in this vacuum and commenced its work in October 2008. Throughout these years the organisation has worked with numerous entities- other student organisations, NGOs, private and public entities and the government.

On campus

The executive has been following and meeting the University’s administration on various subjects amongst which are alternative energy generation on campus, sustainable landscaping, water and waste. With regards to water Greenhouse last year collected a number of plastic bottles which were filled up with water and placed in each flushing unit on campus to reduce the amount of water used in each flush. Perhaps the major contribution Greenhouse has given on campus has been that related to waste. Discussions with a private company yielded a number of skips near the campus for use by the nearby stationeries while other discussions with a parastatal entity yielded a battery bin which is placed in the Student’s House. Greenhouse has held many a meeting with the University administration on the possibility of a tri-bin system to be installed at the University precincts albeit to no avail. Greenhouse will be pursuing the issue further. A composting site has been in the pipeline for a number of months and the last obstacles are being dealt with so that this project starts running in the near future.

Greenhouse members at a clean up way back in 2009, when the organisation was just getting started

Discussions with the administration have also focused on the canteen’s products while through discussions with KSU, the CCTV cameras at the Student’s House were changed to the more environmentally-friendly Infrared cameras.

Greenhouse also formulated the ‘Green Pact’ by which organisation signatories were bound to green their conduct in their day-to-day administration. KSU was a signatory to this pact.

Our first organisations' days

Events on campus included ‘Know Your Food’ with a special emphasis on threats of GMOs, waste reduction educational week as part of the European Week for Waste Reduction, ‘Survival is not Negotiable’- a campaign to coincide with climate change talks in Copenhagen’s COP 15 negotiations, human rights and inter-religious debates as part of human rights week and ‘Status: Refugee’ – an information event which focused on the situation of migrants in their native countries. All this apart from participating in KSU’s Freshers’ Week, Environmental Fair and Organisations Days in which information panels and debates on a variety of subjects were held by Greenhouse.

Off campus

Outside campus, Greenhouse- registered under the NGO Commission and a contributing member of two MEUSAC sectoral committees- is part of the Animal Rights Coalition. As part of this coalition, Greenhouse co-organized the Animal Circus Protest March to coincide with the animal circus on the Islands. Apart from this, Greenhouse is also vocal on the lack of shelters for cab horses in Valletta. The organisation co-organized and participated in ‘Legality Now!’- a protest march to urge MEPA to uphold the law in its decisions so that the environment is safeguarded.

In the annual Worldfest as organized by KKG, Greenhouse installed an exhibition stand on virtual water and gave information to visitors on this little-known subject. Together with other organisations, Greenhouse co-organized food-related events such as the airing of ‘Kissed by the Grape’ and ‘Surviving the Nature Crunch’- an event closing a permaculture-related project.

Greenhouse organized various social events such as rock climbing, bird watching, SCUBA diving, clean-ups, animal sanctuary volunteering, vegan gatherings and more.

During Human Rights Week 2009

This is only some of the past Greenhouse’s work.

Watch out for more Greenhouse projects coming up such as a campaign about sustainable fishing, more advocacy work and events and a variety of social events to tickle everyone’s fancy.

Greenhouse is actively seeking to recruit volunteers this year. If you would like to offer some of your time in helping Greenhouse or some other organisation do not hesitate to contact us and we’ll help you find what you’re looking for.

Keep it green.

Climate Action Day 2010 – We’re all in the same ‘boat

For this year’s Climate Action Day, Friends of the Earth Malta teamed up with Moviment Graffitti and Greenhouse in a bid to raise awareness on climate change. The event was planned to coincide with the annual United Nations Climate Talks which are taking place this year in Cancun, Mexico. Unfortunately the event had to be called off as the Valletta Local Council refused to grant a permit for the event.


Ironically, on the same day that the Valletta Local Council refused the permit, it was announced in the papers that 2010 is set to be among three warmest years on record, and will cap the warmest decade ever. This was revealed by the UN's World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) at the world climate talks in Cancun. While Nero Played The Fiddle, Rome Burns!

During a press conference held this morning in Valletta, the three NGOs argued that climate change should be tackled at all levels, starting from an individual level to the global.


On a local level, we need to look into changing our habits and adopt a more sustainable lifestyle. Such change in attitude will not only benefit the environment but also makes economic sense. Why are we willing to invest in expensive and polluting cars but are then not willing to invest in renewable energy sources and energy efficient appliances which make more financial sense? FoE Malta, Greenhouse and Moviment Graffitti questions such illogical behaviour. The age of irresponsible consumption is over; if we are not willing to do our part how should we expect politicians and businesses to lead.


On a national level, the government should have a clearer and more effective policy on carbon emissions. This requires shifting from heavy expenditure on projects that do not reduce our emissions level to more projects that do. Malta is still, considered a carbon dinosaur with its biggest sources of emissions coming from our oil-burning power stations and from land transport. Our country needs to look into having more efficient ways in the use of energy generated. This has to move decisively towards maximum utilisation of renewable energy sources and usage of efficient, low-emission land transport. There is urgent need to improve the efficiency of our main generating equipment. The Delimara extension – using diesel and not HFO – will provide a first improvement. The interconnector from Sicily, if supplied by a natural gas power station, will also improve matters: a net cut back of perhaps 0.5 million tonnes CO2 from 2.1 million.


Globally, the increased role for multilateral development banks as a channel for climate finance is not a blessing but more adept at causing climate pollution than in helping countries to mitigate or adapt to it. Using these channels would also mean climate finance in the form of loans or other debt-creating instruments. Using other instruments such as grants by developed countries as compensation for damages done will reduce the costs of dealing with climate change to the already heavy debt burdens experienced by many developing countries. Hence, we demand that all public money to fight climate change must go through the UNFCCC, not the World Bank, because the World Bank is the wrong institution to control financing for climate change. The decision to establish a global climate fund under authority of the UNFCCC should be adopted in Cancun.


The current global economic crises should be seen as an opportunity to move away from the current inefficient practices. This should lead us to the new, green economy more quickly so that many of the old problems of oil demand and energy consumption can be dealt with. Investing in new technologies, and moving much more decisively to renewable energies as well as energy efficiency can create more jobs, lower energy bills and indeed saves lives as well as livelihoods.


Media Features: Di-ve, Times of Malta, Times of Malta, Malta Today, Independent, Gozo News.