Athens
27
11
2022
ECONOMY / ENERGY

Free firewood turns into hot commodity in Greece

Facing a winter of energy shortages, people across Greece are resorting to cheaper heating sources, such as firewood.
Facing a winter of energy shortages, people across Greece are resorting to cheaper heating sources, such as firewood.

Responding to growing demand – which tends to push up prices – several local councils across the country have stepped in to distribute firewood free of charge to the needy.

In Greece’s mountainous regions, such programs have already been running for years. But in urban centers, this is a new initiative.

In Glyfada, a suburb south of Athens, the program was launched in early 2021 after a February snowstorm left tons of downed trees and fallen branches on the streets, Anna Kafka, head of the municipality’s civil protection department, told Xinhua.

Those interested can submit an application and once that is processed they can take as much as they can fit into the trunk of their car.

This year, as the energy crisis intensifies, the municipality has seen an increase in applications.

Kafka told Xinhua that for the whole of 2021 they had received 10,000 applications, while this year, by the end of September, they had already received 5,000. [Xinhua]

tags: Economy Greece