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August 2021

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5 Reasons to Go Green After You Retire

Retirement is a time to relax and try new things! Sometimes new things can mean new adventures, and one of those adventures could be going green. There’s so much talk about going green; what is it? To go green means to live environmentally and ecologically friendly. To make decisions and choose a lifestyle that helps the environment and sustain natural resources for future generations to come. With so much more free time in retirement, you can learn more about going green and how it affects you in helping the environment and saves you money. For five reasons to go green after you retire, keep reading.

Reduce carbon footprint

The biggest reason for going green is to reduce your carbon footprint. Everyone has a carbon footprint; it is how much we travel by vehicle, the energy we use in our home, what we spend while shopping, and what we eat. When you actively choose to go green, you assist in the battle of limiting the amount of waste going to landfills and putting harmful materials into the environment.

Some things to do to reduce your carbon footprint is to:

  • Drive efficiently by not speeding and slamming on the brakes
  • Carpool when possible
  • Fly on an airplane less
  • Eating less meat and eating organic
  • Not wasting the food you buy

Doing these things will not only help the environment but help you as well. It is a double win.

Improve your personal health

During retirement, you’ll want to focus on keeping your health up. Not only does it make your life easier, but it also helps you to live on whatever money you have saved because it won’t be going to medical bills. There are many benefits to come out of going green for your health. Some include clean water, fresh air, and less pollution to breathe in.

Going green also positively affects your mental health. Due to the fact that you get to spend time outdoors in nature which helps with your overall health and gives you positive thoughts. Sunlight is good to receive for 10-15 minutes a day. Sunlight boosts your serotonin, increases vitamin D, and helps you sleep by resetting your circadian rhythm.

Reduce your utility usage

Becoming eco-friendly helps you lower your utility bill. Utility bills can be expensive to keep up with month after month. Who wouldn’t want a lower price on their utility costs? By becoming more eco-friendly with your utilities, it helps both you and the environment!

By this part in the article, you can see a trend that what is good for the environment is also good for you. By switching your water supply to be more sustainable, having solar panels on your home, and changing to LED light bulbs, you can save yourself and the environment some trouble.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency tells us that you can save 20% on utility bills when your home is eco-friendly. If all homes and buildings could become eco-friendly, energy spending would decrease by $20 billion a year.

Help farmers by shopping local

Supporting local farmers is a great way to be eco-friendly. When you go to a farmer’s market or buy from your local farmer, you are purchasing organic products and helping your community. These foods are likely not to have pesticides and chemicals.

The main reason buying from local farmers is so great for the environment is that there are reduced greenhouse gas emissions to provide their food. Buying from farmers is also a way to reduce waste. Not to mention, purchasing local farmer’s fruits and veggies is great for your health!

Adding eco-friendly features increases your home’s value

People are looking to add eco-friendly features to their homes these days because of all the added benefits it does for the environment and themselves. Solar panels are especially valued in today’s housing market; by making minor additions like these to your home, you will have an added re-sell value. Green homes have a significant impact on the environment. If you wish to increase your re-sell value and help the environment, consider adding those eco-friendly features.

Conclusion

Going green after you retire is a great idea! It helps reduce your carbon footprint, improve your personal health, reduce utility usage, supports local farmers, and increases your home’s value. The benefits of going green help not only the environment but also you and can help maximize your retirement. Look into going green and try it for yourself!

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