Caring for our natural surroundings is a must for our future generations.

Planting trees, protecting our countryside and the natural habitats within it, play an important part for our future, especially given the increasing density of development on the island.

We have not been very successful in the past, as is evidenced by the ever shrinking green land on the island. On the grand scale, we need to do better. But we cannot just speak about the major projects. The little things also matter. What we each do also matters.

Are we placing plants in our balconies to try and make our urban streetscapes greener? Do we have the ability to plant a roof garden? Are we pressuring our local councils and MPs to make our squares more green, to plant more trees, and for more green spaces to be created? We can, individually, do more.

If we are developing a block of flats, are we just concerned about building shoeboxes, or creating a front garden for instance if the space permits? One often hears about the major planning applications being filed by the big developers, but what about the so many others that are filed, not by major developers, but by families who want to make some extra money through rent for instance. Are we picking shoe boxes over the collective good? The answer is there for all to see.

We all have a collective responsibility to make Malta green. Caring for our environment means more than just commenting on social media.

Many of us are also shocked when we hear of vandalism to nature. And there have been many instances where members of the public stood up against projects which pushed for the chopping of trees for instance. Some were unsuccessful, others succeeded, such as in Mosta where just last year protestors managed to stop the removal of Ficus trees in the square.

Here, one must praise the eNGOs that fight to protect Malta in this regard. They actively challenge Planning Applications that may cause the further urbanisation of out countryside, they stage peaceful protests when necessary. Some organise tree planting. Many of us are shocked when we hear of a development planned to take up more land located outside the development zone, and many do submit objections, but how many then make the effort to attend the actual Planning authority sitting for instance?

Then there are acts of vandalism that are just counterproductive to society. Just recently a story broke where holes were seen in the main trunks and roots of ficus trees, with an unknown liquid inside. The Environment and Resources Authority (ERA) and the Mosta Council described it as an act of vandalism. The ERA said that it, together with the assistance of the Plant Health Directorate, are investigating, and that police intervention was requested. These are the very same trees that were chopped and faced removal until protestors managed to put a stop to such plans.

The Authority had said that it “is currently conducting sampling and laboratory analysis of the substance poured into the trees, a crucial step in attempting to determine the substance inflicted and any remedial intervention that may be required.” The Mosta Local Council categorically condemned this behaviour “in the strongest possible way.”

To make matters worse, the Mosta Council posted days later that Eucalyptus trees in Ġnien Reġġie Cilia have been found vandalized in the same manner. One hopes that the damage was minimal.

We need to care for our environment, unless we just want to leave walls of grey for the next generation.