Saving Our Blue 2022: Nationwide campaign to raise awareness on single use plastic and its effects

The popular ‘Saving Our Blue’ marine protection campaign is returning to its fourth edition, a campaign aimed at raising awareness against marine pollution and supporting the importance of sustainable decisions, to further reduce the use of single-use plastic.

Landfill waste is a threat to ecosystems essential to the lives and livelihoods of the people.

The success of this campaign therefore depends on the willingness of the public to consider and opt for alternative sustainable products as part of their daily routines.

This year, Malta introduced the ban on the distribution and sale of these single-use plastic goods.

The campaign targets the public through various initiatives, also including students between the age of six and ten in collaboration with the Summer School centres in Malta and Gozo.

An educational campaign will be relating to the harms which waste can pose to our marine life. The mascot of this campaign is Maggie, the sea turtle which will raise awareness through a series of episodes about her adventures.

As part of this campaign, various beach clean-ups will be organised together with other dive clean-ups around the beaches in Malta and Gozo with the participation of various government entities, voluntary organisations and private companies.

Environment Minister Miriam Dalli urged the public to do its part by opting for alternative products whilst participating also during the clean-ups which will be organised throughout the summer edition.

“Saving Our Blue Campaign aims raise awareness on the marine protection and its ecosystem. The public is encouraged to make sustainable choices and dispose waste accordingly”, said Minister Dalli.

Statistics show that the most common waste items collected during clean-ups on local beaches are cigarette butts, plastic bottles, spoons, straws, bottle caps and cups.

Those interested in participating in this campaign are invited to contact Saving our Blue on the social media platforms for more information and other initiatives which are taking place during this fourth summer edition.

Representatives from Ambjent Malta, Parks Malta, ERA and from NGOs Żibel and Nature Trust were present for the launch.

Saving Our Blue 2022: Kampanja nazzjonali kontra l-użu tas-single-use plastics u l-effetti tiegħu

Il-kampanja popolari għall-protezzjoni tal-ibħra ‘Saving Our Blue’ qed tirritorna għar-raba’ edizzjoni tagħha, kampanja bil-għan li tkompli tqajjem kuxjenza kontra t-tniġġis tal-baħar u ssostni l-importanza ta’ deċiżjonijiet sostenibbli, partikolarment biex ikompli jitnaqqas l-użu tal-plastik li jintuża darba biss.

L-iskart li qed jispiċċa fl-ibħra qed ikun ta’ theddida għall-ekosistemi essenzjali għall-ħajja u l-għajxien tal-poplu.

Is-suċċess ta’ din il-kampanja għalhekk jiddependi fuq kemm aktar nies jiġu mħeġġa jagħżlu prodotti alternattivi u sostenibbli fil-ħajja ta’ kuljum.

Din is-sena wkoll daħlet fis-seħħ il-projbizzjoni ta' distribuzzjoni u bejgħ ta' dawn l-oġġetti magħmula mill-plastik li jintuża darba biss.

Il-kampanja tolqot lill-pubbliku inġenerali permezz ta’ diversi inizjattivi, fosthom anke studenti ta’ bejn is-sitt u l-għaxar snin b’kollaborazzjoni maċ-ċentri ta’ Skola Sajf f’Malta u f’Għawdex.

Fil-fatt se tkun għaddejja kampanja edukattiva dwar il-perikli li l-iskart jista’ joħloq fl-ibħra tagħna. Il-mascot ta’ din il-kampanja hija Maggie, il-fekruna tal-baħar li se toħloq kuxjenza permezz ta’ sensiela ta’ episodji dwar l-avventuri tagħha.

Taħt il-kappa ta’ din il-kampanja, se jkunu organizzati diversi beach clean-ups kif ukoll dive clean-ups madwar il-bajjiet f’Malta u f’Għawdex bis-sehem ta’ diversi entitajiet governattivi, għaqdiet volontarji u kumpaniji privati.

Il-Ministru għall-Ambjent Miriam Dalli ħeġġet lill-pubbliku biex filwaqt li jipparteċipa fil-cleanups li se jkunu qed jiġu organizzati, jagħmel il-parti tiegħu wkoll billi juża prodotti alternattivi.

“Permezz tal-kampanja Saving Our Blue se nkomplu nqajmu aktar kuxjenza dwar l-importanza li nipproteġu l-baħar u l-ekosistemi tal-baħar. Importanti li kull wieħed u waħda jagħmel il-parti tiegħu u jagħmel għażliet  sostenibbli u niddisponu mill-iskart kif suppost,” qalet il-Ministru Dalli.

Statistika turi li l-aktar skart komuni miġbur waqt clean-ups fuq il-bajjiet lokali huma l-loqom tas-sigaretti, fliexken tal-plastik, kuċċarini, straws, tappijiet tal-fliexken u tazzi.

Il-pubbliku interessat li jipparteċipa f’din il-kampanja huwa mistieden li jagħmel kuntatt fuq il-pjattaforma soċjali Saving Our Blue għal iktar informazzjoni kif ukoll dwar l-inizjattivi li ser jkunu qed isiru fis-seħħ matul din ir-raba’ edizzjoni tal-kampanja.

Preżenti għat-tnedija kien hemm l-entitajiet governattivi Ambjent Malta, Parks Malta u ERA, kif ukoll l-NGOs Żibel u Nature Trust.