Shaping A Better Future With The Help Of Seniors

People aged 65 years and older are most likely to say that environmental laws are not worth the time and effort, according to Pew Research. This makes sense from a practical perspective since seniors have less stake in the future of the earth compared to younger generations. Unsurprisingly, Millennials and Generation Z are more active in volunteering to save the environment. While there are a lot of green initiatives available, there is a need to get seniors onboard the campaign for sustainable and eco-friendly lifestyle for everyone. Their power and their quantity is crucial to the environment advocacy as they can promote sustainable initiatives and programs at the same time they can also block legislations addressing climate change.

Seniors can make the greatest impact

Volunteers are an important aspect of any campaign and initiative. In fact, the success of local environmental efforts depend on volunteers as they have critical roles in the major activities of such organizations such as monitoring protected areas or conducting environmental studies. However, attracting and retaining a sufficient number of volunteers at a given time remain a problem for environmental organizations. Since retirees or early retirees do not report to work anymore, they have more time to dedicate to environmental volunteerism. Due to the increasing number of retirees, the impact of the collective behavior of senior volunteers is significant.

Benefits of volunteering for seniors

A lot of studies have indicated that seniors benefit from the act of volunteering. Some of the positive effects include improved physical health, potential reduction of the risk of illnesses or health-related incidents (e.g. dementia, hypertension, and heart attacks), and improved psychological health. Volunteering for environmental organizations in their community can benefit seniors because they will be exposed to nature, which has been linked to improved cognitive functioning and longevity of life. Volunteering can also be the platform to increase levels of physical activity. Lastly, they could also realize for themselves that they need to ensure the future of the world as their legacy to future generations.

Challenges in getting the help of seniors

The environment will benefit from the help of the seniors and vice versa. In reality, it might be challenging to engage older people in environment campaigns in comparison to younger people. Some people do not realize the magnitude of the negative consequences of climate change. There are some older people who do not understand the complexity of environmental challenges, which discourages them from environmental volunteerism or activism. As such, there needs to be informative discussions to educate seniors about climate change and its impact to the future of the world.

To ensure that future generations will not suffer, everyone should pitch in and volunteer to mitigate and stop the negative effects of climate change. Everyone, regardless of their age, has a role in shaping a better future.

By Sally Writes