Most of the recommendations made by schools in the EkoSkola programme for environmental measures to be taken at San Anton Palace and the Kitchen Garden have been implemented, the Office of the President said.

Following an invitation from President George Abela, schools taking part in the programme last year visited the President to perform an environmental audit of San Anton Palace and the Kitchen Garden.

The EkoSkola committee members later presented an action plan with a list of observations and recommendations for the consideration of the President.

The recommendations included the use of less food packaging, replacing traditional light bulbs with energy-savers and introducing waste separation bins in the Kitchen Garden and private gardens.

On behalf of the committee members and their schools, EkoSkola officials recently presented a plaque to President Abela  as a sign of appreciation for his commitment towards sustainability. The plaque has now been put up in a prominent place in the Kitchen Garden.

The schools involved in the exercise were St Theresa College’s Birkirkara Primary, Lija-Iklin-Balzan Primary and Birkirkara Boys’ Secondary schools, together with St Monica School, Birkirkara, Stella Maris College, Balzan and St Francis School, Birkirkara.

EkoSkola is an environmental education programme run by the Foundation for Environmental Edcuation and managed locally by Nature Trust Malta.

There are currently 37 Maltese and Gozitan schools that have Green Flag status. The Green Flag is an international certificate awarded to schools that have reached a set of internationally standardised criteria and is recognsed world-wide.