Living Green, Well Into Your Retirement
While many people entering retirement look forward to a more flexible lifestyle of traveling, relaxing or spending time with their families, a new lifestyle is becoming increasingly popular with today’s retirees; a green lifestyle. In a recent study for AARP, 55 percent of members of the “silent” and boomer generations thought they were leaving the world in worse condition than they’d found it. So, now that retirement living is becoming green retirement living, more and more seniors are seeking out new means of contributing to preserving the environment. After all, this is the same generation that started Earth Day.
You don’t have to join Greenpeace to help save the environment. By implementing just a few changes in your daily lifestyle, you can cut back significantly on your carbon footprint and help preserve the environment for future generations to come.
Your New Green Lifestyle; Saving Energy in and out of the Home
The energy we consume in our homes is one of the biggest contributors to carbon dioxide, the main greenhouse gas causing climate change. High car dependency, vacations abroad and dining out are key activities that contribute to a high emission of carbon. Here are a few green living ideas to help you get started on your new green retirement lifestyle.
- Walking, instead of driving to your destination, can significantly cut back on your carbon emission. Plus it’s a great way of getting your daily exercise and saving some money.
- Insulate your home. By making sure your home is properly insulated you can reduce heat loss by over 20-30%. This means big savings in winter fuel bills.
- Recycle, recycle, recycle! Nearly two thirds of household garbage can be recycled. Start a recycling program within your household by finding out which goods can be recycled. Surprisingly, things like wood, engine oil, fluorescent light bulbs, batteries and TVs can all be recycled.
- Eat Organic! Organic food is grown without the use of pesticides, synthetic (sewage based) fertilizers, hormones or antibiotics. This will significantly cut back on harmful pathogens being introduced into our environment.
Be a Green Volunteer
Volunteering in your community to preserve the environment isn’t just good for the environment’s health but can do wonders for your mental and physical energy. If you’re interested in participating in Green Volunteering, here are a few ideas below to help you get started.
- Check out your local newspaper or website to find out about local Green Volunteer organizations.
- Think about how you want to volunteer. Evaluate your mental and physical energy to figure out how you can best serve your green community.
- Start a Community Recycling Program.
- Start a Gardening Club. Get together with your neighbors to plant fresh vegetables and plants. Your environment will thank you.
Whatever you choose to do in your retirement, by following just a few of these ideas you can cut back significantly on your carbon footprint and leave the environment in just a little better shape for the next generation.
