5 Ways Seniors Can Create a Sustainable Lifestyle for Retirement

Creating a sustainable lifestyle is a topic that is on many senior’s minds. As you enter your golden years, you may feel like you aren’t making a difference. But, you have the power to influence future generations just by making a few eco-friendly changes. This can be one of your greatest gifts to your younger contemporaries.

Eco-friendly living during retirement

Seniors have the power to impact future generations by living a more eco-friendly, sustainable lifestyle. Easy lifestyle changes include recycling, using energy-saving tools, growing a garden, eating a more plant-based diet, and voting.

Creating a sustainable lifestyle is a topic that is on many senior’s minds. As you enter your golden years, you may feel like you aren’t making a difference. But, you have the power to influence future generations just by making a few eco-friendly changes. This can be one of your greatest gifts to your younger contemporaries.

Recycle

Effectively recycling is an easy way to help the environment. In order to get started, create dedicated spaces in your house to store your recycled materials. In most cities, you will have two recycling bins; one for glass and one for plastic, paper, aluminum, and cardboard. Food waste needs to be washed off any containers to ensure that the item will be recycled. Make a weekly trip to your local recycling facility to drop off any items that are not picked up curbside.

Your local recycling center will have specific information on best practices, so be sure to stay updated.

Energy-saving tools

It’s likely that if you’re nearing retirement age then you’ve been taught to be mindful of electricity consumption for decades. In addition to keeping your HVAC bill down and turning lights off when you leave a room, you can make sustainable changes just by making some simple swaps. Replace your light bulbs with LEDs, use smart power strips, and purchase a home energy monitor so you can see what appliances are consuming the most energy.

Let your green thumb thrive

Some seniors find themselves searching for new hobbies once they retire, and growing a garden is a great way to stay active and promote sustainable living. Growing fresh herbs, peppers, and tomatoes is easy indoors. Share your bounty with your friends, family, and members of your community. Growing produce at home reduces plastic and gas consumption, as there is no grocery store trip needed. You’ll save time and money all while eating healthier!

Focus on a plant-based diet

With your gardening skills, changing your diet to a more vegetable-friendly approach will benefit your health and the environment. Studies have shown that a heavy meat-based diet can cause an increased risk of stroke, cancer, and heart disease. Websites like Pinterest allow users to search for vegetarian and plant-based recipes.

In addition to the health benefits of eating more vegetables, experimenting with new recipes is a great way to stay active during retirement. Cooking with your grandchildren will provide them with precious memories and important life skills. If your grandkids are too far away, try creating a weekly club where you and your friends try new recipes. You’ll stay active and get healthy.

Vote for the future

Voting is the first step to changing the world and we know that older generations vote more than their younger counterparts. Continue to vote throughout your life and impact the world for decades to come. Let your legacy live on by participating in every election from local to federal. Volunteer at your local polling stations to get involved with your community.

For retirement planning help, contact a financial advisor today.

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