Starting to panic about climate change

[DorothyL]

I keep reading how climate change is getting really bad and how we're reaching the tipping point/point of no return. It keeps me awake at night and makes me feel so anxious and worried for my children. I struggle to feel happy because I keep thinking that we're literally facing the apocalypse. How can I deal with this?

You are so witty, Yabba.

Do you have children?

I worry about this too, but I have some faith that people smarter than me will fix it. Human ingenuity is not to be underestimated.

2 thanks.

Do you use any form of transport other than a bicycle or your feet?

It is terrifying, but not hopeless. How about:

1. making a pledge not to fly unless you have to;
2. cutting down on meat
3. writing a polite and clear letter every day to a minister, or a newspaper, or your MP, or a business asking them to do something about climate change? Specific beats general - so not just 'do something', but 'please approve this windfarm' 'please don't cut funding for solar' 'please make your fridges more energy efficient'...

Albert
Surely an email would be more environmentally friendly? Your part of the problem not solution

Do you use any form of transport other than a bicycle or your feet?

Are you saying that if you drive a car you're not entitled to care about the environment? Because that is a tired straw man argument.

If you weren't meaning that though, I am happy to be corrected.

I do.

So?

1) making a pledge not to fly unless you have to;
2) cutting down on meat

Better that airfare and meat reflect the actual cost of pollution than the market relying upon altruistic actors refusing holidays and burgers.

Chardonney I expect you'll be told if you're not walking everywhere and leaving the lights off you might as well start chucking your rubbish into the sea and burning plastic to keep warm.

OP I feel exactly the same, except I worry about all the other threats people have mentioned as well. I find people's lack of concern horrendous and I cannot believe the total mess capitalism has made of the earth. I don't know what the answer is though and can't offer anything other than sympathy. I spoke to a GP friend about my feelings and she said it sounded like I had anxiety and I agreed I did, but for rational sound reasons, so why pathologise it?

Climate change is extremely serious. However I no longer worry about it. Instead I do what I can. I

• recycle every thing I possibly can
• sign every petition I can
• reduce my carbon footprint

Having done as much as possible, I stop worrying. And part of the reason I stop worrying is that even if the whole UK population became carbon neutral our efforts wouldn't make a blind bit of difference while China and the USA keep on heating up the atmosphere.

Not to put too fine a point on it, we're screwed. However one of my DBs says he suspects that science will find solutions once the superpowers realize it's actually urgent.

Museumofcurry,

I don't disagree. Writing to MPs, etc, asking for a proper carbon trading system is also a very good idea, but there's that saying about not letting the best be the enemy of the good. You do what you can, however you can.

Don't forget to turn your Christmas lights off to save a bit of power too....:

I used to think Mumsnet was full of educated women with common sense. More and more I am wondering how there's been such a shift in that.

The climate of this planet is changing yes, but in the most it is changing naturally. Whilst we can maybe slow it a bit we can't stop it even if we pass laws to enforce essential travel only, supply power for essential services and all run electric cars it is STILL GOING TO HAPPEN WHETHER WE LIKE IT OR NOT.

Yabba is right.

And before anyone asks, I have a child and one on the way. If I believed any of these bollocks I would not be a mother and I would be focusing my energies on my apocalypse outfit and weaponry for when the time comes.

Please find something else to focus your energy on OP. But don't start using Ecover because it's shit.

Also, China are doing something - they're scaling down massively on coal to the extent that they're not going to use some coal power stations they've just built.

I think we're going to rely on industry and grassroots politics, rather than our governments.

Just couple of examples I've seen from the last few months: Bill Gates' billion dollar climate technology fund; local governments coming up with their own carbon initiatives independent of national policy; large companies such as insurance companies putting pressure on governments as they know the cost from climate change is going to affect them soon.

LeSquigh,

Why do 99.9% of scientists in any reputable university disagree with you? Are they all fools or are they corrupt?

They're obviously dangerous 'experts' who we mustn't listen to in these 'post truth' times.

Always amazes me that with the massive wealth of reputable, peer-reviewed information available online people still choose to believe shonky science.

Yes, there is some really bad climate stuff happening, yes I believe the majority is human made but you don't need me to go into detail, you are worried enough.

There are things you can do (as discussed by various people in this thread) but it is also worth reading about the advances of others. If you look at some of the work of the companies Elon Musk has founded or you look at the pace of development of carbon capture schemes and renewable energy then there is cause for hope too.

I cannot believe the total mess capitalism has made of the earth.

Capitalism is the only thing that can save it - once we establish that all goods and services have zero footprint, that is.

I'm scared for my children. I can't quite balance the disconnect in the fact I still conceived them even knowing how bad things appear to be.
A few things that comfort me... the earth has experienced massive die offs and extinctions before and is still here.
Life is good now. I do as much as I can in terms of recycling/low carbon living but otherwise enjoy what I can.
I try not to worry but to focus on the positives in day to day life. When it comes down to it we are the lucky ones at the moment compared to some parts of the world.

"we are on the tail end of an ice age and the world is naturally warming. "

Bullshit.

.

Thing is, despair is as bad as denial. Humans are clever and resourceful. We're figuring a way out of this mess, we just need to keep pushing and do what we can.

If we dont deal with this life won't be good for much longer.

But our politicians lack the will to do anything because it will slow down economic growth and short term goals are more important than long term ones.