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Written by: Summer Graham
In part 1 of our climate change blog, we covered the basics of climate change and global warming, and the negative impacts they can have on our environment. But the impacts of a changing climate don’t stop at impacting us physically, it has started to take a toll on our mental health as well.
Climate Depression If you’ve ever read an article about the impacts of climate change and global warming without being brought down by the doom and gloom, I’d be surprised. Even if reading this blog series on climate change has impacted your mood or made you feel depressed and pessimistic about the future of the Earth, you aren’t alone. Climate Depression and Eco-anxiety, caused by worrying about the ever-looming threat of climate change, is experienced by many.
Although constant depression, stress, and anxiety are not necessarily desirable, this response to climate change is not unwarranted. Just like how our body has stress responses when we are in a dangerous situation, Eco-anxiety is our response to a real threat that is becoming more prevalent every day. The main difference is that this threat has not suddenly appeared, it has been steadily growing stronger through decades of being ignored, and the path to effectively dealing with it is not clear. There is no “fight or flight”. The only option in combatting climate change is to fight, but how do we fight something so large?
What We Can Do When looking into what you can do to help stop and reverse the effects of climate change, it is important to remember that this issue was not created by a single person, and it won’t be solved by the actions of a single person, but rather the actions of a collective global community. Your actions will not single-handedly solve the climate crisis, but will contribute to the movement by inspiring other people to make a change. Suggestions from organizations like Reset, David Suzuki Foundation, and Earth Day Org include some simple changes that can help reduce our impact on the planet:
1. Change your diet – meat and dairy can account for up to 12-17% of global greenhouse emissions. Start with one meatless day a week (check #meatlessmonday on your social media for ideas!), or commit to ordering a vegetarian or vegan option when eating out.
Now that you know the basics, continue to educate yourself about the impact climate change is having on our planet today. While you continue to learn, implement some changes in your life today so we can have a better tomorrow.
Additional Reading: Washington Post - Eco-Anxiety is Overwhelming Kids: Where's the Line Between Education and Alarmism? New Yorker - How to Combat Climate Depression David Suzuki Foundation - Top 10 Ways to Stop Climate Change
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CanPlant Blog 44 June 22, 2022 |