05/01/2024
When the environmental movement was first getting started, it seemed that to be environmentally friendly, you had to give things up. Now, thanks to advancements in technology and a revaluation of what we need to be happy, it’s possible to be green and still live well. More and more older adults who want to reduce their carbon footprint have discovered how sustainable, and enjoyable, moving to a senior living community like The Forum at Rancho San Antonio can be.
At The Forum, Our Favorite Color is Green
We’re creating a more eco-friendly community every day. Here are some the very real benefits that will help make your current life even better while helping the planet:
Energy savings – A smaller space is easier to cool and heat. Multiplied across all a community’s residences and common spaces and those seemingly small efficiencies can start to have a big impact.
Responsible dining options – Cooking for one or two people can result in a lot of leftover food. Not only do community dining programs try to use more locally sourced items, but their menus and portion sizes are designed to reduce food waste. If you’ve thought about moving to a more plant-based diet but don’t know how, The Forum is always adding vegetarian options to our menu.
Green construction – With advancements in technology and materials, buildings are more energy efficient than ever. Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) has different certifications for buildings that meet their framework for health, efficiencies and cost-saving standards. At The Forum, our new memory care building is LEED-certified. To continue to reduce our carbon footprint, we’ll add more solar panels to our campus and continue to use the highest appliances rated by Energy Star®.
Reduced carbon footprint – Living close to everything you need (dining, fitness center, classes, social opportunities) means less driving. However, if you do need to run errands, we’re transitioning to a fleet of hybrid vehicles and electric vehicles (EVs) to be used as scheduled transportation for shopping, doctor appointments and other resident outings. To also encourage personal EV use by the residents, we offer community charging stations and have plans to add even more.
Naturally sustainable – The Forum is a National Wildlife Federation Certified Wildlife Habitat® and approved Pollinator Habitat. On our campus, we feature pollinator gardens for bees, butterflies and hummingbirds, including milkweed way stations to help protect and feed endangered monarch butterflies during migration. We’re also planting water-smart landscaping, including native and drought-tolerant plants, and installing water-conserving drip irrigation.
One Move. Multiple Benefits for The Environment.
While there are many ways you can start living a more eco-friendly lifestyle, possibly the easiest and most enjoyable is to simply move to The Forum. To learn more about our plans for a more environmentally responsible community today and tomorrow contact us here.
