Caregiving

If you have an elderly loved one, you may want to encourage them to live sustainably. We all know that the environment needs us to do our best now more than ever, but old habits die hard. If you want to help them live more green, follow these five tips to make it easier to do. Learn How to Recycle Learning how to recycle is often a continuous process, with new items coming into production every now and then. You can make it a point to learn how to recycle while teaching your loved one the same. By the end of it, you will have played a big role and helped someone else to do so too. About 85% of caregivers care for a relative or a loved one, making it very likely that you know a few people doing the same. You could form a team to help and motivate each other, even if you will do it mostly online. Remember that every item recycled is one less item in the dreaded landfills, and imagine how much that is if everyone you know recycles! Shop at Local Markets While you may have formed the habit of shopping elsewhere for your supplies, you can start to shop at local markets. You will be sure that the items you get are supporting local efforts, and it is often also easier to verify that they are sustainably produced. This is something that you can share with the loved one under your care, and soon enough, they will start to champion green living. Incorporate Energy-Efficient Technology Into Their Residence If you are already living sustainably, then this tip will be easy for you because you already know a lot of what you need to do. If the loved one you are caring for lives in their own separate residence, you should make sure that it is up to the energy standards dictated by green living. This includes changing their windows to energy-efficient ones, making sure the light bulbs and other electrical fixtures are up to standard, and setting up easy-to-use cookers and warmers if necessary. There are more than 16,000 home and car lockouts every day in the United States, a number that would possibly go down if people employed more current locking systems. These may actually be energy-efficient and easy to operate. Save Energy and Water In Simple Ways Green living is not a complicated, strenuous activity because there are a few things easy enough that you can start doing right now. These include turning your sprinklers on at the right time each day and shortening the length of your showers. If the person under your care can take a shower rather than a bath, let them know that it will be more energy efficient to do so. Plant a Garden A garden is delightful because, besides providing you with fresh herbs and vegetables when you need them, it is a sustainable hobby. Introducing more green to your environment is a great thing to do, and it will come at a low cost to everyone involved. With just 25% of Americans saying that they don't expect to work after retirement, it is a sign that many people are up to the challenge of taking up additional tasks past the retirement age. Tending to a garden can have a significant impact on the well-being of both people and the environment. Teaching your elderly loved one how to practice sustainability is not as hard as it may sound. With some patience and passionate creativity, you can help them make a difference in the world.