Funny isn’t it how things have changed so much in the past decade or so. I don’t remember 10 years ago ever worrying so much about the choices I made on a daily basis and how those choices impacted on our world.
I remember watching the David Attenborough shows with just pure joy, although often hiding behind the cushion when the baby Zebra was chased by the Lion but still, with happiness in my heart for the majority of the time. But now, to be honest, I actually avoid watching those programmes because I know as much as I will enjoy seeing those wondrous creatures and habitats, I also know that at some point the climate change conversation is going to be coming up and then that escapism I was looking for is just gone. And then I’m back in the room...and the world…the world where everything is just going wrong and our future is doomed and I CAN’T DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT!!!
Ok and calm. I am overreacting, or am I? Is me worrying this much actually going to help save the planet? Maybe it is. Ok, let’s be logical, it’s not (This is my internal conversation with myself on a weekly basis).
So, it’s got me thinking: am I suffering with climate anxiety, or do I just have more eco awareness now– is there a difference?
It’s no wonder it’s on our minds so much, it’s probably spoken about several times a day in conversations, in the media and is constantly in our thoughts. I’d like to think that in most aspects of my life, I have a certain amount of control, and I can make choices to influence my environment. But with this crisis we are faced with, that control is out of our hands. In fact, it’s out of every individual’s hands and actually, the only way we can solve it is as a whole.
I think knowing this point can help put this into perspective. No one is asking me as an individual to save the world. I am being asked to change my behaviour – I can do that. So, if I am going to change my behaviour then give me the tools to do it right? Right! We need the big players in this world to start this ball rolling and some of them already have. Many companies (including Sass & Wild!) have already introduced products which do all the things we know and love but don’t have a negative impact on the environment. If we’re given the choice between good for the planet and bad for the planet – you know what I’m choosing.
Once we have these choices available in all aspects of our lives then guess what, our anxiety turns to awareness which turns to change ✌🏻❤️🌍