12 | New Scientist | 26 October 2019
IF THE prospect of climate change
makes you stressed, anxious
or depressed, you aren’t alone.
With reports of some children
becoming terrified by climate
change and the protest group
Extinction Rebellion holding
“grief-tending workshops”,
there is an increasing awareness
of so-called eco-anxiety.
A UK Council for Psychotherapy
conference met in London on
19 October to discuss how best to
manage such anxiety. While there
is little quantitative evidence
about eco-anxiety yet, here are
eight approaches that speakers
suggested may help.- Live more in alignment
with your values
There was disagreement at the
meeting over the value of lifestyle
changes. The effect of individual
actions can be very small, but
psychotherapist Mary-Jayne Rust
suggested that changing how
you live to be more compatible
with your ideals can help with
eco-anxiety. You could eat less
meat and dairy, drive less and
stop buying and disposing of
so many items, for example.
“We consume much more than
we need and it’s not making us
happy,” said Neil Jennings at
Imperial College London’s
Grantham Institute on climate
and environmental science. - Give your home an
energy health check
Household energy use
accounts for 14 per cent of total
UK greenhouse gas emissions.
Reducing your home’s energy
use can help you take some
ownership of your consumption,
said Jennings. Make sure you have
good insulation and draughtproof
windows and doors, and try
putting on an extra layer rather
than turning up your heating.
It isn’t just about you, though.
Jennings said that we also need
government support to improve
our homes’ energy efficiency.- Cut back on flying
The Swedish concept of flygskam
(“flight shame”) has recently
gained wider attention, but a
minority is responsible for the
lion’s share of emissions from
flights. A 2014 analysis found
that 15 per cent of adults in
Great Britain account for 70 per
cent of flights taken, so it is those
who take three or more flights
a year who will make the most
difference by cutting back. If
taking fewer flights could put
your job at risk, try switching
from business class to standard.
The Grantham Institute says
this uses a plane’s capacity
more efficiently. - Don’t feel ashamed
However, in her discussion of
flygskam, the environmental
writer and activist Emma Marris
noted that billions of people fly.
“My individual actions are not
actually capable of solving climate
change,” she said. While altering
how you live and travel may help
you by letting your life be more
aligned with your values, you
shouldn’t feel ashamed for not
being able to fully comply with
these. “The systems in which we
are all enmeshed essentially force
us to harm the planet, and yet we
put all that shame on our own
shoulders,” said Marris. “The
shame is not helping anybody.”- Focus on changing
systems, not yourself
Marris argued that accepting
that we can’t get where we want
to be through individual action
has therapeutic benefits. “I don’t
think a complete narcissistic focus
on the self is healthy,” she said.
Instead, Marris suggested you
can have a much more meaningful
impact by working with others
to lobby governments.
The Grantham Institute advises
letting your MP, local councillors
and mayor know that you thinkaction on climate change is
important, and writing to your
bank or pension provider to ask
if you can opt out of funds that
invest in fossil fuels.- Find like-minded people
Rust recommended finding
a community of like-minded
individuals so you can express and
share your feelings of eco-anxiety.
Marris agreed, saying that you
can’t solve climate change alone
and that joining a group of some
kind will help you to make friends.
“I’m not an expert on mental
health, but I feel like making
friends is helpful,” she said. - Protect and nurture
local green spaces
Getting involved in community
environment projects may help
your mental health, as well as
being good for the planet. The
Grantham Institute notes that
green spaces absorb carbon
dioxide, cool down urban areas
in hot weather, reduce flood risk
and provide habitats for wildlife.
Additionally, a recent study found
that spending 2 hours a week
outdoors in nature is linked to
better health and well-being.
Rust recommends trying to find
some time outside every day. - Bring others with you
Jennings highlighted the
importance of talking about
your experiences – the challenges
as well as the positives – and
bringing other people along with
you. “Talking about the practical
things people can do in their
day-to-day lives gives people some
sense of control back, which I
think can really improve people’s
well-being,” he told the meeting. ❚
Mental healthJEFF J MITCHELL/GETTYNews
A schoolchild protesting in
Edinburgh in March as part
of global climate strikes“The systems we live in
force us to harm the planet,
yet we put all that shame
on our own shoulders”Stressed about the climate?
Eco-anxiety may be on the rise, but there are ways
to quell the sense of dread, reports Penny Sarchet