Why did Vilnius place green scarves on local sculptures?

A creative way to encourage residents to prepare for the upcoming heating season

Last week, Vilnius residents and guests were surprised to see many of the city’s human sculptures decked with large green scarves. And no, it wasn’t a sign of celebration by rowdy football fans. Apparently, the aim behind this cheeky initiative was to remind residents that winter is eventually coming, so it’s best to start preparing for the heating season in order to stay comfortable once the frost arrives.

The creative campaign was initiated by AB Vilniaus šilumos tinklai, the Lithuanian capital’s heat and hot water supplier. The company claimed that knitted scarves symbolize the cold season, so when the summer weather is over, it's time for residents to hurry up and prepare their homes for the heating season. Even if outside the temperatures were still somewhat balmy last week.

"This year's extremely warm and sunny September pushed many people's thoughts about the approaching cold period, but the falling leaves and increasingly cold nights indicate that the heating season is approaching. Although we constantly educate our customers about energy efficiency, we notice that attention to the home is often not enough, so this promotion is another way to remind them of the importance of preparing for the heating season", says Laurynas Jakubauskas, head of the company's Customer Team.

Making sure that energy can be saved

We’re not entirely sure why all the scarves are green in colour, but we suppose it may have to do with the symbolic message that the company wants to send to the residents. To not only stay warm and toasty, but to also ensure it’s done in the energy-efficient way possible.

According to the administrators, keeping a warm home is a team effort, which requires collaboration between the utility company, the neighbourhood associations and the homeowners themselves.

That’s why, the company urges its customers to make sure that they take care of their homes, including things like insulation, which can ensure that no heat energy goes wasted.