Feeling worry and fear about the climate crisis? You’re not alone. Instead of getting stuck in a sense of powerlessness, we’re supporting each other to transform our eco-anxieties into meaningful action grounded in courage and compassion.
Are you feeling this change, this urgency, like the trill of cicadas at night, like the roll of distant thunder across the hairs on your arms? Are you feeling the way this world is buzzing, thrilling, electric and on the cusp?
Coming hard on the heels of this, COVID19, with its roots in habitat loss and exploitation of animals, adds yet another dimension to my grief in response to the tragedies of human-driven ecological disruptions.
The things that we do have control over in our life include the way that we take care of ourselves, the way that we take care of other people in our lives, and the way that we take care of the world. Zines are a very accessible form of creativity because you're working with other people's images and other people's words.
The system change we need will not be easy, and it won’t come quickly. It will take all of us, with all the skills and abilities and ideas we each have, for a very long time. And we are not going to get there if we all burn out along with the world as we know it. We are barely at the starting line now. It will at times be frustrating, uncomfortable, and challenging.
And so we need to do the things that humans have always done to find meaning and feel community. We need to make, share, and consume art. We need the artists, both among us and within us, now more than ever.
There have been generations of organizing and people feeling this pain so maybe the climate crisis just got attention right now, but certainly in the Global South, they’ve been feeling this for years and years.
This five minute episode features Eric Holthaus, a writer, reporter, and father of two kids who is passionate about reshaping climate stories. In this short video, Eric tells us about how the climate conversation has shifted over the past five years to focus more on the emotional barriers to action. Eric explains how he makes sense of his personal call to action to shift perspectives, amplify others’ voices, and build from a foundation of love.
Subscribe for more videos like this and follow us at ecoanxious.ca
Rachel Malena-Chan, co-founder of Eco-Anxious Stories, sat down this past summer with Justin Fisher from Climate Jutice Saskatoon to talk about her research and why she started the Eco-Anxious Stories project.
Stay tuned for information about our next webinar! Sign up for updates on the homepage.
I never thought I’d say this, but today I feel fortunate to have spent many years developing a set of tools to handle my anxiety. So while the pandemic is now at the top of the list of things that cause me anxiety, I am able to meet it head on and navigate my feelings.
This doesn’t mean that I cruise through the day with a smile on my face. It means that I can quickly recognize when anxiety is creeping and take action before it escalates. For those experiencing these new emotions and physiological responses for the first time, I empathize and want to help. Here are my go-to techniques that have been in heavy use these past weeks.
Eco-anxiety can make us feel alone but no one can scale a challenge like the climate crisis by themselves. Our mission is to give people the courage, tools, and energy to connect with others and continue the climb together.
Meet the team behind Eco-Anxious Stories and inquire about collaborating with us!
About UsLet's shrug off silence and channel anxiety into meaningful stories together.
Everyone has a story to share. Tell yours. Write a blog, record an interview, or create a collaborative piece.
Share Your Story