If you’re like many older adults, maintaining an environmentally friendly lifestyle during retirement is one of your top priorities.

Senior living communities offer everything you need to maintain an eco-conscious lifestyle that benefits your health and well-being now, and the future of generations to come. Read these four ways communities like ours at Opus Newton can enrich your retirement by helping you save the planet.

1. Senior living communities can reduce your carbon footprint

At Opus Communities, we proudly partner with the U.S. Department of Energy’s Better Buildings Challenge as a commitment to reducing our carbon footprint. We’re building to LEED standards and embracing passive housing designs in our communities to reduce energy consumption by at least 24%.

Our green building standards will allow you to live a more eco-friendly lifestyle. They’ll  also contribute to more comfortable home environments, improved interior air quality and lower community maintenance costs, which helps make our retirement communities more affordable.

On-site fitness centers, libraries, creative arts studios, and lifelong learning programs will significantly reduce your need to drive – and we offer coordination of transportation around town including NewMo rideshare. This decreases your consumption of fossil fuels and greenhouse gas emissions. Plus, you’ll have everything you need for a fulfilling lifestyle steps from your front door.

2. Downsizing inspires a “less is more” lifestyle 

From purchasing supplies to maintain your yard to buying furniture and décor, you need to spend a lot of money to properly take care of a house.

Downsizing from a home to a smaller space in senior living can inspire a lifestyle change that’s better for your wallet and the planet. You won’t need to spend as much time or money maintaining a home, which gives you more freedom to pursue your passions, and you can dramatically reduce your energy consumption.

The one- and two- bedroom apartments at Opus Newton are well-appointed and will be available in a variety of floor plans to suit any lifestyle. Each apartment will meet LEED Gold requirements and Passive Housing standards, which requires our community to use insulation appropriate for the climate, a design that’s air-tight, and high-efficiency windows to reduce energy consumption.

3. Dining programs help you cut back on food waste

One-third of global food production goes to waste, which has detrimental effects on the environment. In fact, food loss and waste in the U.S. alone generates the same amount of greenhouse gas emissions as 32.6 million cars.

Dining programs in communities like ours at Opus Newton help you cut back on food waste and reduce your carbon footprint by serving seasonal meal options made with fresh, local ingredients.

This reduces the emission of greenhouse gasses by limiting the number of miles needed to transport ingredients and decreasing your trips to the grocery store. Fewer items from the grocery store also means contributing less food packaging to landfills.

4. Robust volunteer opportunities match your interests and serve the planet

When you’re out exploring sandy beaches, interacting with people in your surrounding area, or taking a few quiet moments in a local park, you’re more likely to notice things that have a negative impact on the environment, such as litter and air pollution.

This might inspire you to live a more eco-friendly lifestyle or join a volunteer group that keeps natural spaces pristine for future generations.

In an Opus community, each resident will make a commitment to share their passions, talents, and intellect in ways that enrich and excite their community and surrounding areas. We offer a robust volunteer program with abundant opportunities to build meaningful friendships, engage your interests, and continue making a positive impact in the lives of others.

5. Like-minded people support you in maintaining your Earth-friendly goals

“Birds of a feather flock together” is a well-known saying about friendship many of us learned when we were children. However, it still holds just as much relevance today as it did back then.

Research suggests that quality friendships help you find purpose, reduce stress and improve your self-confidence. They also promote better lifestyle choices like eating healthier, volunteering more often, and taking up new interests that help save the planet.

In an Opus community, you’re surrounded by like-minded individuals ready to make a new friend and a positive impact on the world. Whether you choose to lead a class on something that interests you, start a resident-led volunteer group, or join a multigenerational program, you’ll always feel supported in your mission to maintain a lifestyle that benefits you, others, and our planet Earth.

Your Path to an Eco-Friendly Retirement Starts with Opus Communities

Live your best life in a senior living community designed for the middle market and the planet. Contact our sales counselors to learn more about Opus Newton, our first location, where active residents come together to enjoy abundant opportunities to pursue their passion for a more eco-conscious lifestyle.