(ANSA) - BELGRADE, MAR 22 - Vilnius marked the Earth Day, on
March 20, by planting a new 'Christmas Forest' out of old potted
holiday trees brought by the residents of the capital of
Lithuania. The idea of a 'Christmas Forest' was launched by the
Vilnius' major Remigijus Šimašius, in December 2020. Residents
of the city were invited to preserve their potted Christmas
plants until Spring. This March, residents planted the holiday
trees in the marked spots with the assistance of Vilnius parks'
maintenance staff. "I hope this inspires other people to choose
the environmentally-friendly option and buy potted trees next
holiday season, afterwards donating them to the forest,"
Šimašius said. Vilnius has already been ranked among the
greenest cities in Europe and in the world, with greenery
covering 62% of the capital. The city is also at the forefront
for using non-recyclable waste for power and heat generation,
while Lithuania aims to use renewable sources for producing 100%
of the country's power by 2050. "With several large and
small-scale eco-projects underway, the capital also wants to
attract more environmentally-conscious businesses, considering a
relocation,," said in a statement Go Vilnius, the official
Development Agency of the City of Vilnius. (ANSA).
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