Day after day, it feels like we’re bombarded with news of yet another climate change-caused disaster – scorching hot heatwaves, flooding, devastating storms or wildfires, just to name a few. It can definitely feel like an overwhelming, never-ending avalanche of bad news, causing stress and anxiety to our daily lives. As climate change worsens, we will likely hear more of this kind of news, so until we clean up our act and turn things around, we need to learn how to deal with what is called “climate anxiety” – which is anxiety related to the global climate crisis and the threat of environmental disaster. Here are a few ways:
Seek Community Support
Connect with groups, people and causes that you identify with. This could mean getting involved in community garden schemes, climate protests and organisations that lobby governments to make the large-scale changes needed to curb the climate crisis.
As an 8Shades reader, you’ve already taken the first step in joining a community that cares about climate change, so good for you! Be sure to sign up for our newsletter so that you can stay updated on our latest news and upcoming events to meet up in-person.
Reduce Your Personal Carbon Footprint
There are many aspects of global warming that normal people can’t control – did you know that since 1988, just 100 companies are responsible for producing 70% of the world’s carbon emissions? However, there are some things that we can do in our lives to reduce our personal carbon footprint:
Reduce your consumption of animal products – this doesn’t have to be the difficult sacrifice you may think. Nowadays, there are many great meat alternative options on the market, like OmniFoods, Impossible and Beyond. However, if giving up meat isn’t an option for you, opt for products that have the least negative environmental impact, like chicken, turkey and fish. Take part in Meatless Monday, experimenting with new delicious meat-free dishes, or commit to giving up meat for lunches.
See also: 8 Real Benefits of Going Meatless
Opt for public transport – Instead of taking taxis or cars everywhere, use public transport. Use the extra commuting time as an opportunity to catch up on podcasts or audio books, or even getting a head start on work emails.
Take Time Out From the Bad News
Spending your time doom-scrolling through news sites might keep you informed, but it can seriously affect your mental health. When you start to feel a bit overwhelmed, step away from the news for a few hours or days. It won’t change what’s happening in the world, and you’ll be able to keep your sanity intact.
Instead, follow ‘good news’ accounts such as @somegoodnews for a bit of cheer in your day. The world isn’t as bad as you think!
Don’t let climate anxiety get the best of you – hopefully these tips will help you to be able to control the negative feelings or even motivate you to become more active in fighting against climate change. If we all commit to making small changes in our life, this will translate to bigger changes!
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