The Science in the City team recognises that the annual festival can have a hefty impact on the environment and is “keen to ignite a wave of positive environmental change, transforming the celebration of this fusion between science and the arts into a force for sustainability”.
Among the measures to create a sustainable event, this year, it is collaborating with Malta Public Transport to create a special event bus schedule for Saturday, September 28.
Attendees are encouraged to use their Tallinja card to access the free service with extended bus hours, with the last departure to various localities leaving Valletta at 11:20pm, or slightly later. The routes service the whole island, with buses ending their journey in Dingli, Ċirkewwa, Qawra and Birżebbugia, among others.
The card can also be used for free access to the ferries to and from Valletta and the Upper Barrakka lift.
People using this special event schedule will help reduce the carbon footprint of the festival, reduce traffic and eliminate the usual headache associated with parking.
To promote future carbon emission reduction, Science in the City and Malta Public Transport will also introduce the versatile and compact electric minibus, designed to provide clean, efficient and comfortable transportation.
With a maximum seating capacity of 13 passengers and some space for standing passengers, this mode of transport offers an ideal solution for low-demand public transport routes. At only 6m in length, it can navigate Malta’s narrow roads effortlessly.
The electric minibus is equipped with an intelligent cooling system and USB charging ports for passenger comfort. With an operating range of 140km in summer and up to 180km in winter, and a fast-charging time of just one hour, this minibus promises to be the ideal mode of transport in the near future.
Festival goers will be able to see the prototype for themselves at the event this weekend.
Other measures taken to create a more sustainable event include printing fewer programmes, reducing lights to a minimum, banning balloons and single-use plastic, such as plastic cups and glitter, encouraging everyone to bring refillable water bottles and to dispose of their waste appropriately.
“Festival organisers work hard to provide an eco-friendly event, inviting visitors to do their part as the role of festival goers in creating positive change cannot be underestimated,” they said.
For an overview of all activities, stands and performances, visit the Science in the City website – scienceinthecity.org.mt – and look for the getting- there page to find out about all the routes.