Planters may be suitable for flowers in Burmarrad. Yet, proposed trees on Fgura’s main road will do better if planted in specially prepared street wells, according to a report commissioned by the local council.

Greening is generally understood to be the process of transforming a space, lifestyle or brand image into a more environmentally-friendly version (such as greening your home or greening your office).

The wider act of greening often involves incorporating ‘green’ products and processes into one’s environment, such as the home, workplace or way of life.

Planting some trees or shrubs in a locality might count as part of the greening of a community – but only if it is carried out in a truly sustainable way.

A drive toward greening communities has come out of the Ministry for Sustainable Development. This takes the form of a pilot project involving four local councils “to make towns greener by planting more trees and plants”. It is the result of a budget measure for the current financial year.

If the measure is to go even half way towards truly greening these localities, then it must take into account all aspects with respect to the environment.

Current plans on the drawing board for introducing more greenery as part of the pilot project include those put forward by Msida local council. These mention embellishment with planters for olive or bay laurel trees and some shrubs.

Areas set to see more greenery in this locality are Misraħ il-Barrieri, next to the church, near Junior College, and Valley Road (near the local council). Shrubs will be planted in pots on an old flight of steps.

An abandoned patch of soil near Msida primary school (Santa Teresa College) is to be planted with olive trees and shrubs. The council intends to give special attention to areas where there is heavy traffic, such as near the skate park at Tal-Qroqq.

Installing more greenery on this roundabout in the belief that such measures can effectively reduce the impact of vehicle emissions is valid if it is to be done as a secondary, back-up measure to more stringent controls on polluting vehicles.

Before resorting to planting greenery for the removal of pollutants in areas where traffic fumes have become problematic, stronger efforts are needed to stop polluting vehicles being tolerated on our roads.

Vehicles of all types can frequently be seen spewing smoke of various hues at leisure without hindrance. Heavy vehicles are not the only culprits. Thick, white smoke is a likely sign that a car engine is burning coolant.

If exhaust smoke looks blue it is a clear signal that the engine oil is leaking past where it should be lubricating the moving parts, to the combustion chamber where it is burnt up. Aside from the environmental damage, burning oil can cause rough starts and ruin a car’s spark plugs.

There is another possible reason behind blue smoke emissions. If the car is turbocharged, blue-coloured smoke indicates that the blower is in need of rebuilding or replacement. A car with black smoke coming out of the exhaust pipe may be burning too much fuel and needs resetting.

Water consumption is a crucial aspect in any greening exercise, otherwise all efforts are missing the mark when it comes to solid environmental standards

The Tal-Qroqq skate park planting proposal to scatter some greenery around the area should not be presented as the primary way to reduce pollution in this area, frequented by young people from all over Malta.

If ever the green wardens are to be revived, their primary task should be pulling over and booking drivers with smoke pouring out of their exhaust pipes. Preventing pollution rather than trying to mop it up once it’s there should be the first course of action.

A study reported in Science Daily found that enough trees, shrubs and other greenery grown in cities can reduce levels of two of the most worrisome air pollutants by as much as 40 per cent for nitrogen dioxide and 60 per cent for particulates (before they become black and saturated in soot).

The study concluded that judicious placement of grass, climbing ivy and other plants in street canyons can reduce the concentration at street level of nitrogen dioxide by as much as 40 per cent and particulate matter by 60 per cent.

It even suggested installing plant-covered ‘green billboards’ in these urban canyons to increase the amount of foliage. Trees were also shown to be effective, but only if care is taken to avoid trapping pollutants beneath their crowns.

Strategic guidelines set out by the US Forestry Service for planting strategies include planting rows of trees to effectively stop pollutants from reaching surrounding communities.

The guidelines warn that some trees or plants are known to emit more ozone than others, creating concentrations that exceed human health standards. Therefore species must be chosen with care.

Planting rows of vegetation of a density five metres wide is considered to be the minimum requirement if the plantings are to have a positive impact on surrounding air quality. Since we lack space (and water) on this island, cutting down road fumes at source is imperative.

St Paul’s Bay is another local council taking part in the pilot project. The focus here is on replacing missing and empty slots on central strips and all along the promenade. Plans are also in place to buy large pots to be put in various parts along the promenade “with sturdy plants that will withstand the sea wind”.

Indigenous, salt-loving tamarisks would be the obvious choice for St Paul’s Bay. Ficus trees are not recommended. The council is to draw up an upkeep and maintenance programme for the planters and new trees.

The main road running through Fgura is known both for its high levels of pollution and for the removal of roadside trees, mostly ficus, in the 1990s. The extensive root system of ficus trees makes them unpopular for the damage they can cause.

After consulting residents and shop owners, Fgura council aims to place around 40 planters on both sides of Żabbar and Hompesch Road, on a stretch between the Paola locality boundary and Hompesch Gate in Żabbar.

However, planting trees in pots, even though the cheaper option up front, has been found to have its drawbacks in the longer term. Any projects aspiring to the ‘sustainable’ tag should take this into account.

In 2012, Fgura council commissioned a study on trees in two roads running through this locality, Żabbar Road and Hompesch Road.

This study looked at two options of introducing street trees in Fgura’s main vehicular thoroughfare, proposed a list of plants and estimated costs. It investigates the strengths and weaknesses of pot and well tree planting and the typical make-up of both systems.

The report clearly shows that trees grown in pots are compromised since, although the initial cost is lower, maintenance is higher. Trees grown in prepared concrete street wells may cost more up front but save money on keeping them alive in the longer term.

Water consumption is a crucial aspect which may not be given enough attention. This should be a prime consideration in any greening exercise, otherwise all efforts are missing the mark when it comes to solid environmental standards.

Plantings in wooden boxes or plastic pots, as has become the practice, dry out more quickly therefore need more maintenance, namely watering. Landscaping contractors are fond of this scenario as it means they can charge more for keeping the plants alive, or for replacing dead ones.

Rather than using planters, available funds may be better spent on low-maintenance street wells designed for trees, as recommended in the Fgura 2012 tree report.