This ‘Cospicua-Loving’ German Tourist Wants To Inspire You To Plant A Tree
A German who fell in love with Cospicua has embarked on a great and green mission: he wants to inspire at least one in every 100 people on the island to plant a tree.
Klaus Zerbin, 62, first came to Malta in 2002 to learn English and noticed that more and more concrete was eclipsing the island each year.
“I have been visiting Malta for many many years. Cospicua has especially grown very close to my heart,” he told Lovin Malta.
“But every year I see that there is more concrete everywhere. This makes me really sad.”
On the structured terrace of concrete in Cospicua there are only a few plants, he continued, so he planned to go to the market and buy an olive tree to plant there.
In Germany he is a green member of the city council of his home town Rheda-Wiedenbrück.
“Climate change and the fight against it is a very big concern for us. One goal of our mayor is to plant another 10,000 trees there. Therefore, it was only natural for me to plant a small olive tree here in Cospicua.”
He hopes to inspire and join forces with like-minded tourists.
“Imagine what would happen to Malta if only 1 out of 100 tourists or one out of 1,000 tourists just plant one little tree,” he said.
Zerbin tries to embody a greener lifestyle whenever he can.
“In Germany I do have a car, but I rarely use it. I find with an eBike you can do nearly everything in a much healthier and more environmentally friendly way.”
With his neighbours back in Germany, he cares for flower trails and nest boxes for birds.
“With my neighbors and a farmer we are responsible for a blossom and flower trail over about 100 m.
We also give away free seeds every year. We put them in a community blossom box, and everyone can take out a handful to plant wherever they like.
This year they gave away about 20 kilograms.
“In the last years we also partly sell, and partly give away, about 200 nest boxes for different kinds of birds. It starts with nest boxes for blue tits, and now owls and squirrels,” he said.
“My life is not always environmentally friendly, but we all have to take care of what we have. The environment everywhere badly needs our help.”
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