Eco-anxiety is one of the new buzzwords being used frequently in the environmental world. According to an episode of Speaking of Psychology, a podcast of the American Psychological Association, eco-anxiety can be described as a chronic fear of environmental doom. This is followed by eco-grief, or a mourning of current and potential changes to the environment. As an undergraduate, I took several environmental and marine science classes where the material left me feeling hopeless. In graduate school, I finally was able to describe these feelings as eco-anxiety and eco-grief, and I found solace that many of my colleagues felt this way, too.

These sentiments hit young people especially hard. In a recent survey of approximately 10,000 young people, about 60% reported being very or extremely worried about climate change. Commonly chosen words to describe their feelings included “anxious,” “angry,” and “powerless.” A Washington Post article describes teens and young adults as having an abundance of anger and sadness and a lack of optimism because of climate change. Many young people feel like the dilemma of climate change was dropped in their laps by older generations, leaving a global crisis their problem to fix while they still grapple with struggles of everyday life. Anxiety diagnoses have been on the rise, with nearly a third of teens experiencing an anxiety disorder in their lives. These statistics are likely lower than the actual numbers, as they do not include those without access to a mental health professional to receive a diagnosis, let alone treatment.

Additionally, marginalized communities often feel the impacts of climate change more intensely because environmentalism itself is rooted in keeping green spaces and white spaces one and the same. This can be seen in the emergence of national parks at the further expense of Native land and hunting rights, the use of eugenics to create a barrier between green spaces and Black, Indigenous, and people of color, and generational racial wealth disparities between white and BIPoC families. And while many Black and Brown communities feel the same eco-anxiety and grief, Sarah Jaquette Ray notes that “oppressed and marginalized people have developed traditions of resilience out of necessity.” As a result, eco-anxiety manifests itself differently in BIPoC spaces, resulting in feelings of burn-out, the exploitation or burdening of responsibility on non-white folks, and general mental exhaustion reflecting a close connection to the environment^{[1] [2]}.

However, experts Dr. Thomas Doherty and Dr. Ashlee Cunsolo on the Speaking of Psychology episode describe a sense of “gritty hope” with young people faced with daunting climate anxiety. They note that while both younger and older generations may feel similar senses of eco-anxiety and grief, young people of Gen-Z and Zillenials are not as weighed down by the shame of anthropogenic climate change as Boomers, Gen-X, and Millennials. Rather, “young people use these feelings to come forward and get organized” with young activists of color leading the way. In my own experience, the only way that I quell eco-anxiety is by doing something.

Moreover, the anguish in current media is often overemphasized when in reality, we still have time to take action and make change. The woeful idea that we’ve lost 60% of wildlife is actually a misrepresentation of data. While the Trump Administration reversed about 100 environmental rules, these actions are facing lawsuits by states and environmental groups like Earthjustice. Climate scientist and mathematician Kate Marvel says that the idea of climate doom is not supported by science — our fate is not sealed just yet. Instead, we should be focusing our efforts on getting organized.

Action takes many forms. From Meatless Mondays and local river cleanups, to protesting oil giants contributing to climate change and supporting environmentally conscious legislation, getting involved creates space for learning, organization, and community building, all of which are more important now than ever. Globally, environmental resilience, persistence, and justice movements have been spearheaded by “Black, feminist, and Indigenous leaders.^[3]” Luckily, Seattle is known for its environmentalism and environmental activists despite political disagreements. There are many organizations open to volunteers and other forms of community involvement that you, your family, or your friends can join to help get on the ground and become a part of the change. With that being said, you can reach out to me at nicow88@uw.edu or check out this resource for some local Seattle and Washington organizations, non-profits, and groups focused on environmental organization.

“Getting involved creates space for learning, organization, and community building, all of which are more important now than ever.”

Dwelling on the terrible things that have happened to our environment does not help prevent further damage from happening. Getting involved with local community organizations is a great way to quell eco-anxiety, partake in environmental stewardship, and build community. As noted by Julian Aguon, “the answer to the question of climate change must come from everyone, or it will come from no one.” If you’re willing and able, get outside and get engaged!”

^[1] “Eco-Anxiety, another co-opted struggle. – Bad Activist Collective.” https://www.badactivistcollective.com/the-bad-book/eco-anxiety.

^[2] “Tori Tsui on Intersectional Environmentalism, Radical Self-care, and ….” 12 Nov. 2020, https://smea.uw.edu/currents/tori-tsui-on-intersectional-environmentalism-radical-self-care-and-supporting-authentic-spaces-for-bipoc-activists/.

^[3] “Climate Anxiety Is an Overwhelmingly White Phenomenon.” 21 Mar. 2021, https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/the-unbearable-whiteness-of-climate-anxiety/.