PRESS RELEASE BY THE MINISTRY FOR THE ENVIRONMENT, ENERGY AND PUBLIC CLEANLINESS 7th edition of the Saving Our Blue Campaign launched

The Ministry for the Environment, Energy and Public Cleanliness launched the Saving Our Blue campaign for the seventh consecutive year. The primary objective of this campaign is to raise public awareness about the negative impacts of littering, the importance of reducing waste generation, and the need to transition from single-use plastics to sustainable, reusable alternatives.

As part of this year's initiatives to further promote marine conservation and the protection of Marine Protected Areas, an activity book was launched which includes a variety of educational activities all themed around the marine environment.

Minister for the Environment, Energy and Public Cleanliness Miriam Dalli said, “Every child can be a champion for change and sustainability. We will help them lead the way in their communities by giving them the necessary tools and knowledge. When children learn about sustainable practices, they inspire their friends and encourage their families to adopt greener habits. Together, we can nurture a generation of environmentally conscious young leaders who will shape a more sustainable future for all."

The activity book, available in Maltese and English, aims to educate young readers in an engaging and interactive manner. Starting this coming scholastic year, this activity book will be distributed to all Year 4 students across Malta and Gozo, with hands-on sessions to be provided by the Ministry's Strategic and Communications Unit.

In conjunction with new branding, a new campaign website will also be introduced during the summer edition of this year's campaign, for improved accessibility and ease of use to encourage greater public interaction and participation in campaign initiatives and clean-up activities.

Building on the success of the Virtual Reality (VR) project launched in 2023, the campaign now includes immersive experiences of 14 Marine Protected Areas, adding new sites like the Azure Window Ruins in Dwejra, Hephaestus wreck, Filfla, Billinghurst Cave, Um el Faroud wreck, Cirkewwa Marine Park at night, and Mellieħa Bay Posidonia Meadows.

Furthermore, for the third consecutive year, ballot bins will be reinstalled across various rocky and sandy beaches throughout Malta, Gozo, and Comino. A total of 60 ballot bins have been deployed this year to encourage proper waste disposal in coastal areas.

The Saving Our Blue Campaign was launched as part of a conference marking the progress of the project 'Neptune – Restoring Our Posidonia Oceanica Seagrass Meadows', a pilot collaboration between the MEDSEA Foundation, the Foundation de la Mer and the University of Malta.

Last autumn, the MEDSEA Foundation began Malta's first marine reforestation project in Qawra's Natura 2000 site, aiming to revive degraded Posidonia oceanica beds harmed by boating. About 2,400 naturally-uprooted cuttings will be transplanted over 200 m² of seabed, 6 m deep within a 1-hectare zone. Marine biologist Prof. Alan Deidun, Malta's Ocean Ambassador, hailed this landmark first attempt within Maltese waters of restoring lost Posidonia oceanica seagrass meadows as a milestone in local environmental management efforts.

The public is urged to come together to be part of the solution and not the pollution and make sustainable choices to support a clean and healthy environment. Those interested in joining the Saving Our Blue campaign can reach out to Saving our Blue on social media for additional information and details on other activities happening during this seventh summer edition.