Inspiring Story: Susan Auslander, 89, Solar Champion

After a five-year campaign, Susan Auslander (89) and the solar committee at the Meadow Ridge Retirement Community in Connecticut convinced their retirement community to erect 1,344 solar panels. These panels are expected to offset 607.2 metric tons of carbon each year – the environmental equivalent of taking 1,000 gas powered cars off the road per year. 

Described as an “energetic, convent-educated, white-haired Prius driver” in a recent New York Times profile, we caught up with Susan to talk about how other older adults can follow her footsteps and her childhood encounter with Eleanor Roosevelt. 

How did you end up leading the charge to get your retirement community to start using solar power? 

I moved to Meadow Ridge in Redding, CT in 2017 and jumped right in with both feet. I audited a couple committees before I ended up chairing the building committee. That’s how I found out that our electric bill was $1.5 million a year. Now this is a big campus, but I felt like that is a huge bill that we could potentially do something about and do something for the environment. But I thought going at it from the financial point of view made the most sense for selling it to ownership and management. 

When management changed to Benchmark Quality two years ago, we had a new Executive Director who was supportive of the idea. It’s a $3 million project that will be completed in 2024. But it will end up costing us zero dollars since the savings over the life of the project will exceed the costs of developing and maintaining the project. 

How was activism a part of your upbringing? 

I’ve been a member of the League of Women Voters for 50 years. My grandmother was the head of the Women’s Christian Temperance Union in Columbia County, NY, and my mother organized the Democratic Women’s Club.  

In 1950, my mother ran for (but sadly did not win) the New York State Assembly. Everyone who ran in New York State at that time had to get Eleanor Roosevelt’s blessing. We went to Val-Kill Cottage at Mrs. Roosevelt’s invitation for tea. I had gone with my three younger sisters, and we were under pain of death from my mother to curtsey to Mrs. Roosevelt, who remarked “what a charming anachronism.” 

What advice do you have for other older adults who would like to make their retirement homes more eco-friendly? 

First, you have to start a committee. Then talk to the management and find out what the facts are – what does your utility bill look like? Then talk to your state legislators – they can advise you as to what grants and tax incentives are available on the state and federal levels. 

You have to do it as a joint venture. It can’t be one person crying in the wilderness. Where there’s a will, there’s a way! 

What does Aging with Attitude mean to you? 

I guess it means to remain curious, to learn and to persevere. I had a manager who used to say to me “God, you’re a driver” in other words he wanted me to back off. But I usually didn’t. We completed whatever task or challenge was before us. 

YOUR TURN:

Have you been active in your community and made a difference?  Share your experience in the comments!

Pam Hugi is Senior Planet’s Community and Advocacy Manager. Based in Brooklyn, she is a contributing writer for this site.