Children speak up for the environment

Six-year-old Isaac Gatt is worried about the state of the roads in Paola because if children fall off their bicycles they are likely to get a nasty injury.

So, as president of his school's Eco School committee, he took matters into his hands and wrote an e-mail to Resources Minister George Pullicino, asking that something be done to prevent unwanted bruises.

The minister has informed the Year Two student at Paola Primary A that he will be looking into the matter. Now, Isaac and his friends are waiting to see results.

The young president is a firm believer in speaking up as children have an important role to play in saving the environment.

"We must speak up and tell the government what to do with the environment to improve it," he says.

"I also wrote to the Paola mayor to install dog litter bins and (CCTV) cameras. He said he did not have the money to install the cameras but he has the cash for the dustbins... But we don't have them yet," he says with a hint of frustration.

The Eco School programme he forms part of was launched in 1994 by the Foundation for Environmental Education precisely with the aim of empowering students like Isaac to adopt an active role in environmental decision making and action in their school and community.

Full story in The Times.