3 things young people with ecoanxiety should do to feel better
Over 70% of 18 to 24-year-olds are experiencing ecoanxiety on a regular basis, a national YouGov poll, commissioned by Friends of the Earth, has found.
Caused by an increasing concern for our planet and the environment, ecoanxiety can affect many of us, especially with overwhelming news stories leaving us feeling guilty about our actions.
This new study has highlighted that the younger generation — possibly encouraged by climate change activist Greta Thunberg — want to make a change more than ever before. "As the group of people most likely to see the worsening effects of climate chaos it's not surprising that a surge of younger people is increasingly concerned, especially in the face of government inaction," Aaron Kiely, climate campaigner for Friends of the Earth explains.
These new findings also coincide with the launch of a new short film, entitled We’ve All Been There, which looks into how we can find tangible solutions to turn our anxiety into action. Starring Top Boy's Jasmine Jobson, it uses comedy to highlight the importance of putting the planet first.
So, what can young people do if they are suffering with ecoanxiety? Muna Suleiman, campaigner at Friends of the Earth, shares her tips with Country Living. These include...
1. Find or build a community
"By joining others you'll realise that you're not alone or isolated in the fight to fix the climate, and will be more empowered to take positive action. Being part of a group, such as Friends of the Earth's Climate Action Groups, will mean you can fight for the change you want to see and directly act on the cause of eco-anxiety," Muna advises.
2. Talking to others around you
"Talk to friends, family members and work colleagues about the climate crisis and tell them that you want to take action to help fix it. You'll soon find who the others who share your thoughts and understand how you're feeling, and from there you can start to help save the planet," Muna continues.
3. Take individual action
"As well as joining a group, some people will find the best way to handle eco-anxiety is to take individual action. You can do this by talking to your MP or local councillors about the climate crisis, and ask them what they're doing about it. Did you know that 100 current MPs took Friends of the Earth’s climate pledge during the general election? Find out if your local one took our pledge, and if they didn't you could ask them why not," Muna tells us.
Like this article? Sign up to our newsletter to get more articles like this delivered straight to your inbox.
You Might Also Like
