Please note: We updated this article since its original publication to include some practical ways that we as citizens can contribute to effective climate change mitigation.

I came into the School of Marine and Environmental Affairs (SMEA) master’s program at UW with the clear personal goal of becoming more informed about the current events and observable trends of climate change. What I did not anticipate was the intense level of anxiety I would experience after just a brief but diligent dive into the current state of affairs during the first few weeks of my first quarter. The overarching message is that things are not looking good. After reading the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s (IPCC) 2023 AR6 climate change synthesis report for policymakers, I am more aware than ever that we are losing the limited time we have to implement actionable change. It can be easy to lose hope, experience a sense of paralysis and nihilism, or overall attempt to ignore the terrifying future that human society will soon face. As we continue to experience these feelings, there is a compounding, collective concern about the global state of the environment to the point that mental health experts have coined the term climate anxiety or eco-grief to explain the universal and growing sentiment.

To this day, 54% of Americans view climate change as a looming threat to their well-being, particularly those in marginalized communities that experience or will experience disproportionate effects due to socioeconomic constraints. However, due to different political bipartisan sentiments, the low priority of climate action in comparison to other national issues, and a global hesitancy to support a complete energy source transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy, it seems like climate anxiety is bound to increase, potentially isolating some as their sense of hopelessness grows. 

So, what can we do to try to mitigate climate anxiety and bring people together during a growing environmental emergency? There is no simple answer since each of us has unique reactions to stress and may require varying sources of support. However, I believe that a powerful solution lies with what is currently in peril: nature. Nature not only provides economic and ecosystem services, but social and mental health benefits as well. Research has shown that nature helps reduce anxiety and depression; improve mood, memory, and attention span; promote creativity, joy, and calmness; and curate a strong sense of connectedness to nature, self, and community.

Nature is a very broad term for all the beauty around us, but it can include green spaces like parks, forests, urbanized green areas, and gardens as well as blue spaces like oceans, lakes, ponds, rivers, and canals. People can experience nature through sensory connection, using their senses of smell, touch, hearing, and sight as a grounding mechanism within their surrounding environment and create a strong bond between themselves and the natural world. In recognition of individuals’ varying abilities to travel outside of their home or area due to physical, mental, or financial constraints, I would like to point out that being connected to nature can also include engaging with visual or written representations like documentaries, poems, and photos, and accessing green or blue spaces secondhand can have similar positive mental health outcomes. Overall, there are some personalized benefits to interacting with the natural world, and people who have a strong connection with nature tend to be happier as a result.

That sense of connectedness is truly mirrored throughout the symbiotic relationship between nature and humanity, as the natural world and the human world are inseparable and reflect each other in the ways they can provide for and nurture each other. In other words, healthy and resilient ecosystems and environments naturally lead to healthy communities that care about the state of their surroundings. In finding a supportive and environmentally conscious community, we can find the inspiration to use our individual power to enact positive change; despite the urgency in addressing climate change, we as a society have agency and can make a meaningful impact by voting for pro-climate politicians, supporting policies that enact carbon taxation and cap and trade systems for large corporations,, organizing like-minded individuals to increase resilience and contextualize scientific information on local and community levels, and making lifestyle changes to reduce our personal contributions to greenhouse gas emissions like using public transportation to commute to work. Most of all, participation in and community building around a love of natural spaces might be a way to help those of us that experience a sense of hopelessness and isolation feel reconnected, elevated, supported, and validated. This sentiment is reflected in Indigenous traditional ecological knowledge (ITEK), and I believe there is something valuable to learn from an ITEK perspective: we are bound through and through to the ecosystem we live in, where our role is not to control nature or put our needs above it, but instead recognize that we are an integral part of a living whole. 

“Connectedness is truly mirrored throughout the symbiotic relationship between nature and humanity, as the natural world and the human world are inseparable and reflect each other in the ways they can provide for and nurture each other.” 

There is a lot of personal strength to be found by determining our positionality within our natural world. Being part of an ecosystem means not only influencing the organisms, plants, and landscape around us, but allowing them to influence us as well. I have found pockets of green and blue spaces within urbanized Seattle that have had a huge influence on my well-being and allowed me to feel nurtured and supported by both the environment and the surrounding community.

Green Lake Park is a beautiful example where a blue and green space come together to foster community. Located at the heart of the Northern Peninsula of Seattle, the lake is an ideal place for Seattlites to enjoy a 2.7-mile loop to walk, bike ride, or run, use the expansive green lawns for sports or picnics, and enjoy various water sports. It was one of the first natural spaces I encountered upon moving to Seattle where I felt a sense of belonging; seeing others engage meaningfully with their friends and family in a beautiful public park gave me an immediate sense of calm and desire to interact with others. 

Just south of Greenlake, Gas Works Park is the heart of the city, at least to me. It provides a 360° view of downtown, South Lake Union, and the surrounding neighborhoods. It is an excellent space to watch breathtaking sunsets and the emerging city nightlife at any time of the year, listen to pop-up performers serenade others, and watch boats or paddle boarders pass by. This past summer, Gas Works was home to weekly free yoga classes hosted by local organizations that came together to promote community wellness in an outdoor setting. By providing free yoga mats, beverages, and music, these organizers attracted hundreds of Seattlites to reach emotional, physical, and mental balance by being surrounded by like-minded people in a beautiful park. Even though I don’t consider myself a yogi, it was an experience so profound that I found myself showing up every week to ground myself and feel connected to the people and nature around me. The sensory experiences of yoga in the park—seeing a wave of people moving in unison to my movements, the sound of the water and exhales of breath, the feeling of the mat under my feet, the smell of grass—were crucial in helping me tune out the rest of the “noise” in my own thoughts and focus on the present. In a way, nature amplified the body and mind benefits of the yoga practice, and I am beyond excited to be part of next summer’s sessions. 

The Fremont Sunday Market is the longest-running European-style street market in Seattle that occurs weekly—rain or shine—and allows local businesses to sell their goods in an outdoor space. Situated right by the Fremont Canal Park, it is a perfect microcosm to observe and experience the beauty of community in a natural setting. I personally come here to shop for secondhand clothing, antiques, and artwork, and I like sitting by the water to enjoy the food I bought and a good book. There are a plethora of other weekly markets across Seattle, including the University District and Ballard farmer’s markets, which offer similar spaces for Seattlites to engage with each other and support small businesses in outdoor and local spots. 

Lastly, my all-time favorite green and blue space in Seattle is Golden Gardens Park. Although it is not as accessible compared to previously mentioned locations, it offers breathtaking views of the Olympic Mountains, Puget Sound, and harbor seals gliding blissfully in the water amongst sailboats and paddle boarders. It was here that I saw orcas in the wild for the first time and have never been the same, and  I finally understood the meaningful and personal connection many Seattlites have with the resident orca pods in the Sound.  I consider the park to also be a wonderful place to play volleyball, have bonfires with friends, and feel slightly secluded from the rest of the bustling city. I find myself going to Golden Gardens when I need to clear my mind, listen to waves crashing on the shore, and watch others interact with the water and the beach. 

Overall, climate anxiety is a visceral sentiment that can isolate us into thinking we are alone as human activity continues to have negative impacts on the environment. However, spending time in nature can have healing capabilities. I have had the privilege to explore some special and accessible nature spots within Seattle that can help promote a strong sense of self and community by providing mental health benefits, like reducing negative emotions and bringing like-minded people together in beautiful spaces. I now seek these spaces when I feel the need to ground myself and recenter my focus, reflect on my positionality within my ecosystem, and find common ground with people outside of my immediate social circle. I hope that those who may be struggling with finding their place in the world give themselves the opportunity to use nature as a guiding source of clarity and connection just as I have during my time in this beautiful city.