Given that one of the things that fuels my insomnia is the climate crisis, when Lacie Martin approached me with the idea of a guest post on climate anxiety, I was all in. I appreciate the ideas and information Lacie shares AND check out the links for more great insights. Thanks to Lacie and to all of you for reading and caring and making a difference.
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In the face of the mounting climate crisis, many of us are experiencing an increase in anxiety over the state of the environment. This is a completely normal reaction to a very real problem.
It’s easy to experience a sense of grief, loss, anger, resentment, and general anxiety regarding this existential issue, especially when you feel powerless to do anything about it. In this article, we’ll discuss some effective ways to relieve climate anxiety and use your discontentment to fuel change!
How to Relieve Climate Anxiety
Many people cope with climate anxiety by brushing off the problem and trying to ignore what’s going on. But being complacent won’t save the planet. In fact, this coping mechanism is likely to create additional feelings of guilt and unease. Instead, use strategies to manage your body’s stress response. Exercise is a great way to burn off nervous energy. Limit your consumption of alcohol and caffeine, both of which can worsen symptoms of anxiety. You can also try relaxation exercises like mindfulness meditation, deep breathing, and progressive muscle relaxation—do these before bed if climate anxiety is keeping you up at night!
While it’s important that you find ways to keep anxiety in check, we should all feel anxious about the future of the planet. Use your anxiety to fuel change! Here’s how to turn your anxiety into action.
Start an Eco-Friendly Business
Starting an eco-friendly business is a great way to offer consumers a green alternative to products and services they already need and use. Do some market research and look for gaps that you can fill with sustainable solutions. Just be sure to shield yourself from personal liability by forming an LLC. Establishing an LLC will also offer tax benefits and management flexibility.
Learn how to start an LLC on your own with the help of online formation services so you can skip the hefty lawyer fees.
Go Digital
If you’re looking for ways to live more sustainably at home, go digital! Opt out of paper mail for utility bills and bank statements and sign up for email communications. You may also want to digitize your existing paper records so you can keep everything organized in the same place. To do this, scan your documents with your smartphone and use an online PDF merging tool to keep pages together. You can also use PDF tools to move pages around so your documents are in the correct order.
Walk More Often
Walking is great for the environment in many ways. It’s an easy way to reduce your carbon footprint and it also encourages people to move around and engage with nature. Since walking doesn’t require any fuel, it releases no emissions making it one of the cleanest forms of transportation available. In addition, walking helps promote awareness of local wildlife and plants, and encourages people to appreciate their surroundings by providing a slower pace than more traditional modes of transport. So if you live in a pedestrian-friendly neighborhood with a high walk score, try walking more often each day.
Consume Less
The best way to support the planet is to simply consume less. Buy fewer things. Reduce and Reuse. Move away from fast fashion, packaged foods, and materialism. Stop buying the latest phones and other tech devices. Science Daily explains how buying less is better than buying green, both for the planet and your mental health. And it’s good for your wallet! When you need to buy a new product, look for used options before purchasing something brand new.
Stop Supporting Harmful Brands
As a consumer, you can influence the actions of large corporations. Those big businesses are the ones doing the most harm to our planet. We have to hold companies responsible for the damage they’re causing! Global Witness suggests putting public pressure on harmful companies by naming and shaming them, essentially scaring shareholders into demanding action.
You can also use your buying power to encourage change. Stop spending money on products and services from companies that are damaging the environment. Instead, research eco-friendly alternatives and support those brands. Better yet, shop local and buy from businesses sourcing materials and goods that are manufactured ethically.
If you care about the planet, it’s completely normal and expected to experience anxiety given the trajectory we’re on. Look for ways to convert that anxiety into action! Go paperless in your household and digitize documents, walk more often, try to consume less, support green businesses, and consider starting an eco-friendly company of your own. When we all do our part, we can make a difference!
A sign I made for the Climate Protest in 2017!
Lacie Martin created RaiseThemWell.org to help inspire parents to raise their children well by prioritizing love over everything else. She firmly believes that all moms and dads raising kids who know they are loved and cared for are successful parents.