Earth Beat, 28 January 2011. Due to assorted cleverness, we’re living longer. But before we pat ourselves on the collective back, bear in mind that this means a whole new set of issues to consider. What are the costs - both financial and environmental - of us not dying young? And how do we adapt our environment to suit an ageing population?

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Deciding to become the oldest man alive
British comedian Alex Horne decided he wants to break the world record for being the oldest man alive, but he has at least another 80 years to be a serious contender for the title. He talks to host Marnie Chesterton about his new respect for the elderly since setting out on his journey to stay alive indefinitely.
 
Envirominute
We ask why baby boomers have the biggest carbon footprint of any age group.
 
The pill blanket project
The British Museum is exhibiting a 13-metre-long blanket into which are sewn over 14,000 pills, tablets, lozenges and capsules, telling the life story of the average person in Britain through the medication they take. Dr Liz Lee, who collaborated on the Cradle to Grave project with two artists, talks about how medication especially can define the last part of our lives.
 
Old age suit
Earth Beat producer Louise Stoddard talks to Marnie about her visit to Seniosphère, a consultancy firm in Paris which has created an ‘age experience’ suit that simulates the effects of age on a 70 to 80-year-old. Louise describes what it’s like to become 40 years older in just a few minutes.
 
Video - Louise attempts to make a cup of tea wearing the 'age experience' suit:
 

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The counter-clockwise society
Are we only as old as we feel? Marnie’s next guest has discovered some incredible connections between the things we surround ourselves with and the ageing process. Professor Ellen Langer, from Harvard University and author of the book Counter Clockwise, Mindful Health and the Power of Possibility talks to us from our Harvard studio.
 
Booomers
Why do we give up playing as we get older? Who said it was just a thing for kids? In Amsterdam, two architects and one artist have built three tools to get older people moving in a playful way, while keeping them visible and active in their neighbourhood. They’re called “booomers” and Marnie went to have a look at them. Link - Booomers website.
 
Video - watch the toys being used:
 

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A senior’s tour of Amsterdam
Kees de Lange is one of the founders of a new Dutch political party which aims to represent people over 55 years old. He went for a walkabout in the south of Amsterdam with Marnie and pointed out some of the thoughtless city planning that ignores the needs of elderly people. Link - 50PLUS website (Dutch only).
 
Cohousing
More and more people of all ages are finding themselves attracted to the idea of cohousing: having your own home, but sharing common space with your neighbours. Craig Ragland, the executive director of the Cohousing Association of the United States, joins Marnie to tell her why cohousing is a good idea for an ageing population.
 
Click to download a transcription of a presentation on Cohousing in the Netherlands from the first International Cohousing Summit, Seattle, 2009 (PDF).
 
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