Climate change anxiety

[SuperNappyBaby]

Is it reasonable to be so worried about climate change that its on your mind every day and you worry your children won’t have a normal life? I find it surreal that most people around me are happy going about their lives not dwelling on this.

The headline on the Guardian a few days ago was about how insects are being wiped out and that threatens the collapse of nature.

www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/feb/10/plummeting-insect-numbers-threaten-collapse-of-nature

Climate change to bring rising sea levels, fires, more animals dying out, coral reefs gone etc.

Its so overwhelming, like we’re living at the end of the world.

It’s RIGHT to be anxious about this. People who aren’t are just head in the sand types. Why isn’t it headline news every day?

I’m utterly obsessed too.

Check out ExtinctionRebellion for your local group. Lobby your council - how much do they use pesticides? What about wipe grassland being left?

I think people who just shrug are the strange ones.

Well the earth & that which lives on it has been here for millions of years in one form or another. It has gone through massive climate changes over that time, like the great flood or the ice age, been hit by massive meteorites etc. But we are here. So I would worry about something else.

rebellion.earth

I'm worried too - I burst into tears on reading about the dramatic decline in insect numbers, which is out of character for me. I'm finding the best course of action for me is to get informed (there's a free climate change course on the Futurelearn website, I'm reading as much as I can about it, and about possible solutions), I have joined my local Extinction Rebellion group and we are demonstrating locally this weekend, and I am gradually making changes to my lifestyle. But I am also trying to be kind to myself by switching off from it for a bit when I feel overwhelmed.

The other thing that has helped me is that several people I know who work in the environmental sector are of the opinion that we actually have most of the solutions we need, we just need to implement them. Which is where campaigning and putting pressure in organisations and government comes in.

The solution is there - it's not like an asteroid is about to collide with the planet. Unfortunately Trump has set the stage for nations to do nothing partly because I think that the concept of climate change is too abstract for him - he thinks that it is as simple as saying that climate change couldn't possibly be real when it's snowing outside and partly because he has fossil fuel companies whispering in his ear. Imagine if he put all his efforts to get his wall built into something that would actually improve lives in a positive way. Not that I'm laying responsibility completely at his feet but he is the leader of the world's most powerful nation.

I'm the same OP.. I was awake for hours last night worrying - and I know people think that's ridiculous but we're looking at our own extinction here..

I guess in some ways we deserve it?

People should try and do positive things - anxiety just feeds anxiety. Doing little things can really help from a positive thinking point of view. For example, do we really need the car for that particular journey or is it just convenience? Look at all the people covering their gardens with artificial turf or paving over these days. There is so much you can do with a bit of garden to encourage bees for example. I understand people having anxiety - I've suffered from it from time to time but I try and concentrate on what I have control over.

All you can do is try to do your bit and encourage others to do theirs. Reduce, re-use, recycle, plant trees if you have space, plant bee-friendly plants. Maybe join some campaigns or societies if you can. You sitting there worrying isn't going to change anything so let the anxiety go mentally, but do be mindful about your own contribution to looking after the planet.

Spot on lubey.

As others have said, I’m focusing on what I can change. So:

• I’ve been vegan since January.
• I’m switching to plastic free haircare products, and refillable makeup.
• Avoiding single use plastic wherever possible.
• Using an Eco Egg instead of laundry detergent.
• Buying DS organic cotton clothes wherever possible. Toys are either send hand plastic or wooden. No glitter in craft box.
• Only buying myself clothes when something I have is actually worn out.
• No more holidays that require flying.
• Walking whenever I can (I do drive after dark though).

I don’t think there’s much more I can do on an individual level without the government getting involved too.

I do what I can in my everyday life to minimise my impact. Other than that I don't really think about it, I can't spend my life worrying about something that I have no control over.

You sitting there worrying isn't going to change anything so let the anxiety go mentally, but do be mindful about your own contribution to looking after the planet.

Have to agree with that. I don't lose sleep over climate change, I try, every single day, to reduce my impact on the planet. We purposely only had one child because the biggest threat is over-population. I deliberately found an office for my business close to home so I don't have to drive to work - before that I left a very good job for a lower paid, lower position in a local firm so I wasn't spending 2 hours per day on the road commuting. I use hardly any paper, nearly everything is done on pdfs and internet so I don't use much paper, printer toner/ink nor need replacement printers. I only change my mobile every 5 years instead of every time Apple brings out a new version - my OH and son do the same. Rather than feel good about recycling, I buy as little as possible in the first place and try to buy without excess packaging, i.e. fresh fruit/veg/meat instead of plastic pre-wrapped. I sell virtually everything we've finished with on ebay - even if I only "make" a few pence, it's important to me that stuff is reused rather than disposed off (even recycling takes energy and scarce resources).

I’m massively worried too, but I’m trying to do what I can on a personal level. Reducing meat consumption, growing insect friendly plants in my garden, avoiding using the car when I can, reducing plastic use etc.

I remember being really shocked a few years ago when I met a young American girl who was visiting a friend of mine. She said her job was helping people in lesser developed countries adapt to climate change. I said ‘oh you mean working on stopping climate change’ and she said ‘no, it’s happening already, we’re helping people adapt’. It really shocked me as in my head it’s was still an avertable crisis, not something happening now.

However, it can only be a good thing that so many people are becoming aware of the scale of the problem and actively working to bring about solutions.

A changing climate is unavoidable, the climate is ever-changing and humans, as we do, adapt to it.

I'm not denying human impact and with regards renewable energy, the elimination of single-use plastic, increased recycling etc. I'm totally on board and do my bit.

Personally, I think the fact we use 'Climate Change' (which is natural and inevitable) as a blanket term to cover human pollution is misleading.

So how many of you believe we will be extinct within our lifetimes or our children's?

Not unreasonable, even the scientists that had to present the report last year cried about it. I am always amazed at how the people that should care the most (parents) care the least and say yolo.

Reducing animal product intake is the biggest thing an individual can do.

This is a good resource for anyone that wants to try it:

22 day vegan challenge with mentors and facebook group: www.challenge22.com/challenge22/

I dont think the human race will be extinct in that timescale (or at least not because of global warming) but I do think a lot of people will be dead because of it. And I think there is great potential for war, genocide and civil unrest as people become displaced. We dont like refugees v much now, cant imagine that's going to change, however much we bear partial responsibility for their fate.

The climate changed over millions of years. This time it has changed in under 100 years in what should have been stretched over millions. The ecosystems and animals cannot adapt to that. We are set for fishless oceans by 2048, after that we have 5 years.

@FruminerousBanderSNATCH What tech? I'd love to know? So far we have nothing that can stop the damage as it is already in freefall. All we can do is limit suffering.

Worried here too. Doing as many things I can think in individual life and finding ways to persuade others. Joined Greenpeace. Want to support school strikes. Going to lobby Council to stop cutting down wild flowers for pollinators. (Big problem here). Growing stuff. Writing to BBC about coverage. Supporting scientific organisations through my work.

No, it’s not reasonable at all.

I believe that climate change is real, and that human activity contributes. However, humanity is part of nature and the climate has always changed throughout the who history of the planet.

I also believe that despite climate change being real, and a threat, climate scaremongering has become an industry, with vested interests.

The timescales and extent of the impact is exaggerated and used to spread fear and alarm. As usual though, people are making money out of it.

The environment should be cared for and protected simply because it is the right thing to do, not because of fear of fabricated apocalypse.

It is sad OP to see you in such a state of fear and alarm over something you can’t control and over which there is such hysterical hyperbole.

All the efforts of humanity to control the climate could be undone tomorrow if the super volcano under Yellowstone explodes. That probably won’t happen though, and neither will the catastrophes predicted by the climate industry through their media partners.

I work in conservation so, as you'd expect, I do worry about climate change. However not to the extent that's it's impacting on my enjoyment of my life and hope for my kids future. Maybe because I work in the sector alongside brilliant, clever and committed people (most of whom have kids too!) I think there's always hope.

We're an incredibly resilient species so will survive. Even if it does mean utter disaster for humans, the earth will continue, nature will continue. The universe is totally indifferent to us, and that's ok.

Maybe reading about stoicism instead of climate change news articles for a while might help put things in perspective if you're really anxious? As pp inferred, newspapers are purposefully emotive and sensationalist. It's really out of your control - you only have control over your own thoughts and actions so committing to a more eco lifestyle would probably make you feel better.

I sometimes regret having children for this reason. I don't think I would be so worried if it was just me.

I however am also guilty of hypocritical behaviour - I need to do more of the things being talked about on this thread.

No insects in 30 years? That’s just utterly ridiculous. Must be from the same people who told us all the arctic sea ice would be gone by 2012. There are 13,000sqm at the end of 2018, up from 11,000 at the end of 2016.

How can believe this stuff?

I’d be really wary of promoting veganism and rejecting animal products. Our ecosystem needs traditional farming.
vegan farming
cows
We only buy meat from ethical farms.