Friday Nudge: Tell Me About Your Eco-Anxiety
I want to help support people in transforming their worry for the climate and ecological crisis into action that brings meaning and joy. I need your help to do that!
Friends, I have been thinking a lot about the feelings of distress that come up with respect to the climate and ecological crisis. Eco-anxiety and climate anxiety are terms used to describe the range of negative feelings people experience in light of the existential crisis facing the human species and so much of the wider Earth community. Depression, anger, fear, helplessness, hopelessness, dread, anxiety…there are a range of emotions, and a range of severity to the emotions, that are part of the eco-anxiety basket.
One book that I have read that is very helpful in understanding eco-anxiety is Generation Dread: Finding Purpose in an Age of Eco-Anxiety by
. Britt has a fantastic Substack called on the topic, too. One of the key things she points out is that all of these feelings are legitimate and normal responses to the climate emergency.Hey! I’m Jessica, and welcome to my newsletter about faith and climate action. We are in a climate emergency; it’s all hands on deck... Subscribe to join a community of people of faith and like-minded people who seek to make change!
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Although eco-anxiety is perfectly normal in the climate and ecological crisis, it is distressing and can be overwhelming. I am working on creating a program to help people of faith address and transform their eco-anxiety into action that creates joy and meaning in their lives. To that end, I need your help!
My Friday Nudge to you is to ask you to send me an email (or reply in the comments, if you prefer) answering the following questions. Your answers will help me know what this community is struggling with and where you find meaning and hope. Feel free to write as little or as much as you wish!
Here are the questions:
Tell me about you! What drew you to concern for the climate/ecological crisis? What concerns you the most and why? How does your faith play into your concern?
Do you experience eco-anxiety? How does it manifest in your life?
What brings you joy in your life in relation to the Earth/natural world/climate action/etc.?
Do you feel hope? What does hope mean to you? What does hope look like in the face of the climate/ecological crisis?
What do you want to feel and see in your own life with respect to the climate/ecological crisis? What kind of difference do you think it would make if you could feel or see this?
I am interested in hearing any stories you wish to share with me. I am also available to have a live chat about this if you’re interested. Hit me up!
Please email me by clicking “reply” on this email or send a message to: jessica@jessicahetherington.ca. Alternatively, leave a comment. I have opened up comments for everyone this week:
Thank you all in advance!
Yours in Earth community, Jessica
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Eco-anxiety, AUGH!!!!!!! I have plenty. In the U.S., California, where I live, shares with Florida the distinction of having the most introduced and invasive species. Wherever I go, I see iceplant from Africa, black mustard from Europe, and eucalypti from Australia. Most places are overrun with these exotic plants, and even some of our best nature reserves have some of them. I work in a wildlife refuge, and we have some places that are dominated by invasives.
Hope is found in the folks I work with and seeing their dedication to the natural world.
Here are the questions:
Tell me about you! What drew you to concern for the climate/ecological crisis?
Curiosity about climate change.......reading Climate Church, Climate World by Jim Antal.
What concerns you the most and why?
The length of time required for major and widespread social change.....and we don't have that much time. The inability of the human race to act emergently on something that is a threat yet several years away.
How does your faith play into your concern?
I rest in the evolutionary journey of the Universe. All is well, and all will be well.
Do you experience eco-anxiety? How does it manifest in your life?
Yes. It is a great sadness that colors everything I do and look at.
What brings you joy in your life in relation to the Earth/natural world/climate action/etc.?
Being in nature. Noticing. Paying attention. Creating inspiration and connection for others.
Do you feel hope? What does hope mean to you? What does hope look like in the face of the climate/ecological crisis?
Hope is knowing the direction I want to go and having the actions I take every day move in that direction.
What do you want to feel and see in your own life with respect to the climate/ecological crisis? What kind of difference do you think it would make if you could feel or see this? I am at the ending of my life. I want to enjoy and experience as much as possible the beauty and magnificence of the natural world.