Malta at Scouts' environment conference in Denmark

The Scout Association of Malta has been represented in the first Conference on Nature and Environmental Activities at European Scout and Guide Centres held at Naesbycentret in Denmark from August 28 to September 1.

The idea for the conference came during the 7th European Scout and Guide Centre Managers Conference at Rieneck in Germany.

Malta's Scouts were represented at the conference by Mario H. Calleja, PR commissioner, and Franco Azzopardi, international commissioner. The Malta Association aims to be in the forefront of environment initiatives through the now imminent opening of its International Scout Centre in Ghajn Tuffieha.

The conference was intended to improve the quality of environmental, nature and cultural activities at European Scout and Guide centres by sharing ideas, activities and information.

To achieve this objective a network was established incorporating Scout Centres from all over Europe. Centres that form part of the network have an interest in environmental, nature and cultural activities. The activities being contemplated must aim at making Scouts aware of the impact of modern living on the environment.

One activity launched during the conference was named the "ecological backpack". It demonstrates to the Scouts the amount of energy needed, earth moved and water used to produce a given material. Two examples were taken and compared - a glass bottle and an aluminium can. Glass carries a larger ecological backpack than aluminium but then can be reused many times. This contributes to bringing down its "backpack" significantly, making a lesser impact on the environment than aluminium. This exercise highlights the importance of reuse. The Scouts also learn that although necessary, recycling carries its own backpack of energy and water and reuse must always be preferred to recycling.

Participating Scout Centres showed a very keen interest in the objectives of the conference and it is hoped that more Centres will join the network. Membership is free but each centre is required to contribute a specific activity and a presentation of their centre. It is envisaged that centres actively participate in the network by sharing information about the development of their activities.

The network will meet once a year at either the European Scout and Guide Centre Managers Conference or at a member centre to discuss various matters related to the smooth running of the network and to the monitoring of its objectives. A different Scout Centre each year will be responsible for the co-ordination of the network, distributing information within the network and organising the next conference.

This conference had the full financial support of the EU, which covered food and accommodation and part of the travelling expenses. The Scout Association is grateful to Air Malta for making its participation possible.