Fresh air, trees and trash at Science in the City

Science in the City Festival will take you on a 10,000km journey on 27 September without even leaving Castille Square, Valletta.

In ‘Your Home’, the area dedicated to all things green during the festival, NGOs, government organisations, University Student Associations and Malta’s leading scientists and artists, will bring the reality that the natural environment is yours to cherish to the fore.

As Da Vinci once said, “Nature is the source of all true knowledge…”. In Your Home, Science in the City plans to share a smidgen of this knowledge with the audience.

Birdlife Malta will help you understand the travelling patterns and stamina of birds which use our islands as a pit stop, on their annual 10,000km journey, enjoying our Pine, Carob and Buckthorn trees on the way. While the Malta Institute of Earth Systems, University of Malta, will show how to distinguish between different types of endemic and indigenous plants of the Maltese Islands. Grab free seeds from ‘Grow 10 Trees’ and sow your own plant. The Entomological Society’s scientists will delve into the depths of a beehive to highlight the marvels of this incredible species. Researchers from the University of Malta, will showcase their discoveries of new insects on the Maltese islands. KSU will be explaining the effects of pesticides at their stands, while Extinction Rebellion will be explaining who the main polluters in Your Home are.

Stands in Your Home will address how humans affect the planet, through education and by offering solutions. Greenroads Limited and Project Aegle Foundation (PAF) have teamed up to introduce a country wide challenge where commuters will be recognised and rewarded for their positive mobility behaviour. The MALTA SUSTAINABLE MOBILITY CHALLENGE – A European Mobility Week Action, anyone up for the challenge is invited to visit this stand to find out more.

Wasteserv will be highlighting the effect waste generation has on our health through games and quizzes. Those concerned about the impact of human waste on the environment, can learn about the introduction of the scheme which allows people to deposit waste for change, as part of a Zero Waste Initiative. At the GSD marketing stand, visitors will be invited to try out the “reverse vending machine”, and to learn new ways to minimise our impact on the world around us.

The Environment and Resources Authority (ERA) will showcase their interactive activity ‘Fair with Air’, which allows the audience to play with fun and educational projections on air pollution. Here visitors will be able to find out how the ERA monitors air pollution. GSD Marketing will be showcasing the Coca Cola Zero Waste Future Initiative with MCAST Paola and Vittoriosa Campus to create a zero-waste framework.

Science in the City is part of the EU-wide celebration- European Researchers’ Night. It is funded by the Marie SkłodowskaCurie Actions of the Horizon 2020 Program of the EU, and a number of corporate sponsors. It is recognized as a Festival by Europe for Festivals and Festivals for Europe (EFFE)

The consortium is led by the University of Malta, Malta Chamber of Scientists and the University’s Research Trust (RIDT), in partnership with Parliamentary Secretary for Financial Services, Digital Economy and Innovation, Ministry of Education and Employment, MCAST, Esplora, JUGS Ltd, Studio 7, BPC International, GSD Marketing Ltd, Aquabiotech Ltd, MEUSAC, PBS, Spazju Kreattiv, Valletta Local Council, Malta Council for the Voluntary Sector, More or Less Theatre, Transport Malta, Kreattiv and Creative Communities of the Arts Council Malta. For more information on the art and science pieces at this year’s festival follow on www.facebook.com/ScienceInTheCityMalta and check out the full programme on www.scienceinthecity.org.mt