In China and Italy, the air is now strikingly clean. Venice’s Grand Canal, normally fouled by boat traffic, is running clear. In Seattle, New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, and Atlanta, the fog of pollution has lifted. Even global carbon emissions have fallen. To be clear, the coronavirus pandemic is a tragedy, but this global crisis is also an inflection point for that other global crisis, the slower one with even higher stakes: climate change. It may seem odd, insensitive, or even irrelevant to some people to talk about climate change right now, but as the United Nations’ secretary-general recently noted, the threat from coronavirus is temporary whereas the threat from heatwaves, floods, and extreme storms resulting in the loss of human life will remain with us for years.
Today I am joined by Environmental Communication student and sustainability advocate, Clara Wessel, to discuss eco-anxiety, a term defined by the American Psychological Association as “a chronic fear of environmental doom.” Worry about climate change is affecting people all around the world, but there are solutions that can help improve this anxiety and slow climate breakdown at the same time. We talk a lot about this as well as our own double standards and how we can live more sustainably without compromising the quality of our lives.
I know there are a lot of weird things going on in the world right now, but I actually think this global pandemic is a great opportunity for us to learn more about these issues, make some changes, and reflect on how we want to live our lives, what responsibilities we have towards the planet, and what’s actually important.
Links
Clara Wessel
Instagram @clara.sw
www.clarasophiewessel.com
Recommended Instagram Accounts and other resources:
@atmos
@itsfreezinginla
@theslowfactory
@storiesbehindthings
@ecoage
@futerra
@jackharries
@finnharries
@aliceaedy
@theearthissue
@earthpartner
@sustainablebk
@2040film
Websites
Ellen McArthur Foundation
IPCC
The Ecologist
The Guardian
Creative Climate Cities
Reminiscing About 2020 & Setting Goals For 2021
Feeling Grateful in a Shitty World (Merry Christmas!)
Moments in Life When Time Stops
Connecting With Ourselves
Astrology: Some Truths or All BS?
The US Election & The Future of the World
Trying to Figure Out What Career or Life to Pursue
Moving Back Into Your Parents House + Long Distance Relationships (w/John Gleeson)
What Would You Do With $1 Million?
The Stress of Moving
Our Tales of Travel (Wanderlust Warning!)
The Evolution of Socializing
The Podcast Just Got a Whole Lot Better!
Normal People & Reflections on Love w/ Katey Hannaby & John Gleeson
Reflections on Racism & BLM w/ Kevin Taylor
Growing Up in Oppression to Climbing the World’s Tallest Mountains & Empowering Women All Over the World w/ Sara Safari
Roaming Around the World, Falling in Love, and The Unglamorous Work Behind It w/ Caroline Sandstöm
Finding Your Dream Job & Serving a Purpose w/ Emily Eliza Moyer
How Social Media is Ruining Your Life w/ Anna's Analysis
Online Dating & Relationship Killers w/ Sean Kernan
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