I started getting sad about climate change two years ago after seeing Planet Earth and many documentaries. I completely changed my lifestyle to reduce my part and put significant effort into it.
But seeing rich celebrities who use as much as a common man’s lifetime resources in a week or two, and others who barely put in any effort to combat it, and corporations fucking the entire planet for quarterly profits, barely any efforts towards fighting it even though we had known about its consequences 30-40 years ago, I get this feeling that my efforts are even worth it.
Slowly, I told myself that evolution failed itself by giving a bit more individual selfishness over community/species survival. Just like human beings, Earth’s time has started to end. Its death is inevitable. Everything should come to an end. Only if evolution had given a bit more thought to species survival, we would be in a much better place.
How do you all deal with this?
Someone said to me once “Relax! Nothing is under control.”
Worry about what you can control —which is very little, especially when facing a world crisis like climate change— and accept what you can’t.
The people who should be fixing this mess are not you or I. It’s the big corporations and the Governments that should regulate them through robust, uncompromising climate policies. Vote for Governments with honest, solid climate agendas.
Other than that, contributions from individuals like you and I are but a drop in the boiling ocean of global warming. By all means, keep doing what you’re doing. It certainly doesn’t hurt to lead a more sustainable lifestyle but don’t feel bad if you don’t do everything you’re supposed to do. Don’t let the real culprits here gaslight you into thinking otherwise.
Again, if you’re worried more about your mental health than the problem itself at this stage, it’s ok to feel that way. Many of us do. But the best advice I can give you is to just accept there’s nothing you can really do about the situation. Whatever happens, happens. Easier said than done, I know, but once you “learn” to accept this fact, your anxiety will drop right down.
Everything this guy said.
I’ve struggled with anxiety my whole life. But my anxiety is about things that I can control. I don’t worry about climate change, or wars or pandemics or whatever, because it’s pointless worrying about things that you can do literally nothing about.
The reason I struggle with this rationale is that if everyone did this we’d be even more worse off. Kinda like I struggle to get around the apathy-is-the-enemy philosophy.
The problem with your viewpoint is that it’s little more than a thought experiment. Realistically, you will never get all 8 billion people who inhabit this planet to make the necessary lifestyle changes needed to combat climate change.
https://www.wri.org/insights/4-charts-explain-greenhouse-gas-emissions-countries-and-sectors
This one throws has some good figures: https://www.epa.gov/ghgemissions/global-greenhouse-gas-overview
Sources we could attribute to individuals:
- Transportation (15%): including public transport
- Buildings (6%): this includes energy usage and waste
In total, 21%. Even if we said that’s still a 21% we could do something about, besides switching to a green energy provider and using an EV instead of diesel cars (which is a good move though sourcing the Lithium-Ion batteries these EVs is a big problem in and of itself), what else is there for the average Joe to do? Companies and governments should give individuals the option to lead a sustainable lifestyle. At the moment, the reality is the options simply do not exist or are so expensive that are out of reach for the vast majority of consumers.
On the other hand, we have industrial and public usage…
- Electricity and heat production (non-residential), which was (as of 2019) the leading source of global carbon emissions, accounting for 34% of the total emissions.
- Industry (24%)
- Agriculture, forestry, etc. (22%)
That’s a staggering 80% altogether.
You ever heard of the Pareto principle? It says that 80% of the consequences come from 20% of the causes. In this case, 80% of the emissions come from a minority of people (industry, corporations, etc.).
Oh there are huge problems with my viewpoint - I wouldn’t even say it’s rational lol! I think that’s probably why I have trouble with the great rational arguments like yours (and many others in this thread).
I didn’t know there was a proper name for the 80/20 rule, thanks!
The earth will be fine. It’s us that are fucked
Have you considered eco-terrorism? \s
First of all, I saw a therapist, and they helped. Truly, if it’s bad enough, go talk to someone.
Now what I personally do? The biggest thing was learning that I can’t carry the weight of the world on my shoulders. I have a habit of doing that. I’m a very empathetic person so when I see climate change I just fall into a spiral that’s hard to get out of. Learning that I need to focus on what I can change is the most important.
So, I do what you already touched on. I am not going to get Shell to stop polluting, but I can change myself, and those near me. I have switched my entire home away from fossil fuels (heat pump, electric water heater), when it was time for a new vehicle I went for an EV, and even then I take the bus and train whenever I can now. I’m looking into an e-bike.
That still wasn’t enough so I’m starting to get into local politics a bit. City council issues, local neighborhood issues, those are things I can help control. My city is trying to push a natural gas ban on new housing, and conservatives are frothing, but it’s something I can push and help with. I’m pushing for more transit in our area, with more bus lines. And my ultimate one, writing letters and trying to ban fucking leaf blowers god fucking damnit just use a goddamn rake they’re so fucking loud and pollute so much.
That helps me personally. And hey, if everyone did these things, we’d make a dent on climate change. I can’t change everyone, I can’t do everything myself, but I can influence those around me.
An odd thing that makes me feel oddly comforted too. World birthrates are dropping. Conservatives are also frothing at the mouth over this because iNFiNiTe GrOWtH but to me, I view it as another form of evolution. Have we realized as a species we’ve reached the limit of what Earth will support? Fewer and fewer people are having kids. Idk, in a weird way it feels comforting, like evolution is still at play and something very biological in us as a species is like “nope, can’t do any more”
Another name for leaf blowers is air brooms and air brooms are useful for big jobs. They now come as battery powered which is better on two fronts as they are quieter but more importantly they are not using 2 stroke motors. Apparently the 2 stroke is the most polluting of internal combustion engines whose design hasn’t really improved since they were first invented.
People saying do nothing, I’m saying do something!
Get out start a community. If one already exists join it. Find ways to improve your community.
Go vegan.
There are so many things you can do. Don’t accept doing nothing, be a stubborn fuck and do something to alleviate the sadness.
Go vegan.
Any climate activist who isn’t vegan is just a virtue signalling poser.
