It seems that every time we try to make changes to help the environment, we’re told there’s something else we could or should be doing. Swapped out cow’s milk for oat milk? Cool, but you still bought clothes from a high-street store. Got a set of metal straws? Nice, but your sandwich came in a plastic wrap.
“I think far too much pressure is put on the individual to make often unrealistic lifestyle changes,” says Aimee Ryan, author of The Great British Vegan. “We are shamed for our wasteful behaviours, whilst being offered very few alternatives and certainly, when we have so many other issues to be constantly worrying about, the last thing we need is to feel bad about a bit of plastic that we accidentally acquired.”
Eco-anxiety is the feeling of persistent worry about the environment and the damage that is being done (and has already been done) to it. Eco-anxiety can be a force for good in some ways – experts in psychology say that it is not a mental health problem to be cured, but instead a natural and quite healthy response to existing threats to the environment. It has the potential to spur us to action and gives us a sense of awareness, which is surely better than being in denial.
But constantly viewing photos and videos of burning forests, melting ice caps and animals slowly going into extinction can take a toll on our emotions. And when these things leave you feeling utterly hopeless, it’s not exactly productive. So how can we ease eco-anxiety, without totally denying that there’s a problem that needs addressing?
Understand The Impact Of Your Positive Actions
It may feel like our actions are merely a drop in an ever-growing ocean, but “remember what small changes you can manage, can still make a big difference,” says Aimee Ryan. If you avoid animal products, this can reduce your personal carbon footprint by up to 73%. By walking somewhere occasionally, rather than driving, you’re cutting your Co2 emissions as well. Bringing your own bags to the supermarket and carrying a reusable water bottle will reduce your personal plastic use. Try to remember that one small slip-up isn’t going to undo all of the good you’ve already done and are continuing to do.
Remember There’s Only So Much One Person Can Do
Making changes to your day-to-day life, like opting for loose veg at the supermarket and reusable cotton pads to clean your face with, can definitely have an impact. But, it’s important to remember that there’s only so much we can do as individuals. So, cut yourself some slack for not ticking all the eco-friendly boxes. It’s a balancing act of understanding that our individual actions can have a positive impact while knowing that using one bit of unrecyclable plastic isn’t a criminal act.
“Really, the pressure ought to be put on the large corporations and the government to make better policies,” says Aimee Ryan. “They’re the ones who can create real, massive change and stop making us dependent on unsustainable products and services.”
Stay Informed, But Don’t Obsess
It’s easy to doom scroll through negative articles and social media content about the environment – let’s bear in mind that social media doesn’t have a great reputation when it comes to mental health. While it’s important to stay informed about the climate crisis and what we can be doing to help, if doing so makes you very anxious, try not to immerse yourself fully and limit your time on social, or at least, your time spent looking at certain accounts and news sources.
If you’re already prone to feelings of anxiety, depression or sadness, scrolling through loads of negative content can drag you down further. If you are consuming a lot of information in a short amount of time and are reading conflicting accounts and news sources, it can leave you feeling overwhelmed and helpless, that’s a lot of information for your brain to take in, so try to slow down. Take regular breaks from reading or looking at content and fill the gaps with healthy, positive distractions, even if that means following more cute animal and meme accounts to space out the environmental content on your feed.
Find Like Minded People
Joining a community of like-minded people can not only help you take meaningful action but it can help to alleviate feelings of despair and helplessness. This is harder during the pandemic, of course, but there are online communities for people interested in litter picking, veganism and more, that are continuing to thrive at this time. If there’s not a group for your interests already set up, then create one and keep the conversation upbeat. While eco-anxiety can spur us on to make meaningful changes, if it becomes overwhelming to a point where you can’t function, speak to your GP or mental health professional about other ways to cope and feel calmer and more positive.