Every day you read how the “climate crisis” is real, and rapidly getting worse. Humans burning fossil fuels to support out-of-control consumerism have brought the earth to the brink of disaster. Droughts, floods, hurricanes, tornados, earthquakes, and plagues of every sort are proliferating. Of course, you are feeling all the natural human reactions: fear, dread, not to mention overwhelming guilt at your own role in causing the crisis through the grave sin of enjoying your life. In short, you have entered the state known to the experts as “climate anxiety.”
The New York Times, as usual, was way out front on this issue. Back in July 2021 they published a long piece by Molly Peterson with the headline “How to Calm Your Climate Anxiety.” Subheadline: “Between wildfires, heat waves and hurricanes, we’re all feeling nervous about the future. But stewing or ignoring the problem won’t ease your burden.” Yes, if you are a writer for the New York Times you fully expect that among the readership it is accurate to say that “we’re all” feeling the climate anxiety. How could we not? Kindly, Molly, tell us how bad it is. Excerpts:
Evidence that climate change threatens mental health is mounting, according to a recent report from Imperial College London’s Institute of Global Health Innovation. Higher temperatures are tied to depressive language and higher suicide rates. Fires, hurricanes and heat waves carry the risk of trauma and depression. . . . Young people especially report feeling debilitated by climate anxiety and being frustrated by older generations. “They try to understand, but they don’t,” said 16-year-old Adah Crandall, a climate and anti-freeway activist in Portland, Oregon. “I am scared for my future because of the inaction of adults in the past.”
But, as that Times headline concedes, “stewing and ignoring the problem” won’t ease your excruciating angst. You’re looking for real solutions here. You want to “do something.” Fortunately for you, a whole new mini-profession of psychologists has sprung up to advise you.
I recently learned about this subject in connection with my upcoming college reunion (50th — ouch!). The college was Yale — I know, one of the looniest institutions on the planet. One of my classmates got wind that they were planning some kind of panel on climate change, and he suggested me for the occasion. But it turned out that the organizers (surprise!) had something different in mind. Another one of our classmates, a guy named Mick Smyer, is one of these psychologists specializing in the “climate anxiety” game, and they have turned the panel over to him. Here is a link to some information about Smyer. It appears that Smyer is going to offer his services to help us all “cope.”
The hypothesis here that you are required to believe to participate in the game is that there is a climate crisis and the cause is human CO2 emissions. If you believe that, one would think you might be concerned, for example, that China has permitted some 47 GW of new coal-fired power plant capacity for construction this year alone. At the emissions rate given by our EIA for coal-fired power plants of 2.23 pounds of CO2 per kWh, that would mean that China’s new coal power plants just this year are going to be emitting around 460 million tons of CO2 annually once they are up and running.
Against that, what does Dr. Smyer suggest to ameliorate your “climate anxiety”? My classmate who had proposed me for the panel did some digging into Smyer’s prior pronouncements, and came up with a list of proposed actions that he suggests you can take, along with supposed CO2 emissions savings from each. Here are some of my favorites (figures in parentheses are supposed annual CO2 emissions reductions in tons):
- Replace the air filters on your air conditioning system regularly (0.30). Well, at least he’s not proposing to get rid of air conditioning entirely. That would be beyond the pale.
- Composting (0.31). I’m not sure exactly how that’s supposed to work here in Manhattan.
- Buy fresh food one time more per week (buying all your food from local sources saves up to 100 tons per year) (100). I find that estimate of a 100 tone annual CO2 emission reduction highly dubious, but put that aside. Has Smyer noticed that around this part of the country we go a full six months per year (about November to April) without any local fresh fruits or vegetables of any kind? And then there are things like coffee, oranges, avocados, rice, etc., etc., that are just not grown around here. I guess it’s back to carrots, turnips and potatoes in the root cellar.
- Recycle (1.40). Aren’t we all doing that already under mandatory government edict?
- Move to a smaller home (2.70). Now we’re getting to the heart of the matter — voluntary poverty. I’ll bet you could save even more by going into a monastery.
- And here’s my personal favorite: Turning water off while brushing teeth can save 0.05 tons per year. That will really put those ChiComs in their place! Unfortunately, as I understand it, here in Manhattan the water system up to six stories works by pure gravity and without electricity.
As absurd as Dr. Smyer’s proposals may appear, he has nothing on Ms. Peterson of the New York Times. For her article, she tracked down something called the Good Grief Network:
The nonprofit Good Grief Network offers support for climate distress through a 10-step process, introduced at weekly meetings that culminate with a commitment to “reinvest in meaningful efforts.” . . . “We don’t see any single approach as a silver bullet” against climate anxiety and inaction, said Sarah Jornsay-Silverberg, the Good Grief Network’s executive director. Instead, the goal is to do things, small or large, that mean something to you, and reflect the internal shift in your outlook.
So what’s an example of a concrete step? Here’s what one subject of the article did:
Using noncombustible materials and sustainable defensible space, they have rebuilt. And next to their new home, they planted a flowering tipu tree, which can spread a canopy of shade within just a few years. “The idea was, we’re not going to be defeated by this thing,” he said.
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One way to deal with climate anxiety is to stop reading the New York Times and other purveyors of fear porn.
Don’t we need more Gretas, not fewer?
Too expensive. The poster girl, due to the same brain dysfunctions that make her eligible, requires a handler (one Luisa-Marie Neubauer) to stay on topic and not off herself before this can be used for a perfect show. How many competent and trusted handlers are available for this kind of a job?
https://www.breitbart.com/europe/2022/04/24/eu-agrees-online-censorship-laws-forcing-big-tech-hate-speech-clampdown/
The “purveyors of fear porn” are up to old tricks again. Because of Elon’s buyout of Twitter, the EU
has all of a sudden become interested in people being censored as the Digital Services Act will
make Big Tech accountable for “hate speech” and “disinformation” online (Read: censor conserv-
ative speech). Since Crooked Hillary & “Oh, Bummer” approve, it will become the global norm. This
is similar to when The Team™ moved the goalposts with The Pause or maybe something like this:
Obviously, there’s a demand for stimulated anxiety.
There’s a lot of ignorance out there.
A lot of ignorance is wilful. Also, passive ignorance is complemented by active make-believe.
Here’s a good description: https://www.patheos.com/blogs/slacktivist/2008/10/08/false-witnesses-2/
Straight from the horse’s mouth. Speaking of which — you know the old saying, «you can lead a horse to water, but you cannot make one look at its reflection and see that it’s actually an ass». And that ass isn’t even paid for believing he’s a horse. It just makes him feel more important.
“stop reading the New York Times”
And start reading Wattsupwiththat com. It’s the best antidote there is for Climate Change Crisis Syndrome.
See a scary climate change story? Come to WUWT and it will all be explained to you, and you will feel much better about things. You will realize these scary climate change stories are science fiction.
There is no climate change crisis. This is a figment of the imagination. There is no evidence to back up such claims.
I’m curious about just one thing: do these climate mavens who pound the “climate anxiety” gavel repeatedly ever go outside in the winter? Have any of them actually been stuck in the slop produced by sleet mixed with snow, and had to wait in the nasty cold, wet, windy weather for a tow truck that maybe won’t come?
I do get the impression that their idea of “climate” consists of avoiding the outdoors and staying indoors are much as possible. I would willingly bet that they think those who enjoy being outdoors in any weather (like me) are delusional when we say it’s cold outside and shake the snow off our jackets.
And that, indeed, might be part of the problem – exercise, especially outdoors, is seen as an anti-anxiety mechanism whilst an indoors, sedentary lifestyle has the opposite effect, especially during SADS season.
The best cure for this illness is open minded study of the subject. Nothing to fear is found in that study.
Problem is most of them opened their minds once before & their brains fell out! 😮
So their solution to surviving fire potential is to rebuild with a defensible space then plant shade trees (things that can burn) close enough to shade your house (and presumably Rooftop)
Many of us have a friend or acquaintance who has severe climate distress, a serious problem, for sure. Some of us try to calm our friends with appeals to logic and and the climate data based facts to show things are really nothing to worry about.
To this I can only say – You are doing it wrong.
Do this instead. Remind them that one of their heroes Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, told us the planet only has 12 years left. And that was 3 years ago. We now have less than 8 years left and the clock is running. Give them an update on the poor Polar Bears, now facing extinction, as are we all.
Be ready, in case they go all “Save the Planet” on you, and want to “Do Something”. Firmly instruct them that there is nothing to be done at this late date. We are all doomed.
Finally, tell them “Have a Nice Day”.
(Just here to help)
120,000,000 people in developing nations predicted to die from inhalation of smoke from wood and dung fires between 2015 and 2050 according to WHO.
That’s around 20,000,000 people dead so far for want of access to cheap, reliable fossil fuelled energy.
And all this moron worries about is leaving the water running while brushing his teeth.
Selfish B’stard. Just like the rest of them.
And what moron leaves the water on while brushing their teeth? Obviously he and his liberal friends must do that for him to think it is important to mention.
BTW, in a letter to the editor in the Las Vegas review Journal within the last couple of months, the writer made the same suggestion re saving water, even producing some massive number of gallons saved in the Las Vegas valley “if we all do that”.
My electric toothbrush runs for 2 minutes. a lot of water down the drain. I have NEVER left the faucet running while brushing my teeth since I was old enough to brush my own teeth. Just saying.
BUT I was and have always been conservative. Didn’t litter. Didn’t destroy things just for the hell of it. I take good care of what I own and of other people’s property. I respect other’s rights. Etc. That is the way I was raised.
Take a hike, take a bag and pick up other peoples trash to carry out. It as more profitable back in the days of my youth with deposit soda bottles, but now the good deed is its own reward.
As I have my own spring it don’t matter.
My moms brother-in-law grew up in a home where a portion of the spring water was directed through the kitchen sink, on a permanent basis. His mom lived there her entire life, and left the water running the whole time.
You are just plum full of wellbeingfulness. the left hand side of your brain must be a wonder to behold. What a woke-bloke you are
TonyL was being sarcastic, Alastair.
I suggest Nevil Shute’s On The Beach as a possible template for climate anxiety sufferers.
And hand them a can of petrol and matches…
Fight CAGW: Stop exhaling.
I have a better idea. Plug up every volcano, fissure and vent on the Ocean floors across the world.
Problem is, no one has a clue how many are down there, churning out CO2.
My concern is that with atmospheric CO2 rising as rapidly as it has, it might indicate something else is going on down there and best we find out what, or we just might get one helluva surprise sooner than we never expected.
The Sahara might green up again, shocking!
Yet again, Cause and Effect go through the shredder…
The Climate is not the thing to be anxious or worried about..
It’s the people propelling the science/scare/panic that are The Real Concern
Panic stricken paranoid people do things that not only hurt themselves, they hurt others around them…
That is the real worry in all this, especially compounded when our leaders are politically, financially & scientifically incompetent demented/drunks
The man who just set fire to himself is exhibit #1.
Obama warned us about misinformation being broadcast.
John Kerry, this deluded person’s death is on YOU!
(With a little help from Grata and AOC.)
Lurch ain’t bright.
Bombard kids with climate doom and send them bonkers
IPCRESS works a treat
Better yet, get them bundled up and out on trails in the woodlands in the winter, when the snow pack is good. Point out the obvious: that WHITE STUFF is SNOW, kiddies.
Yes, the 1965 IPCRESS file will do wonders.
I noticed that they have even made a 2022 mini series.
Mick Smyer clearly sees opportunity in any crisis.
Noncombustible materials. We here on the prairie are way ahead of them. Back in the late1800’s and into the 1900’s we did that. It was called a sod hut.
I turn my kettle off when the LED shows 100ºC, and before it’s begun bubbling.
I doubt it’s enough to pay for the environmental damage of the manufacture and disposal of the LED over the kettles lifetime.
But such is the logic of the green loonies.
I don’t know what to do, what to do. Water boils at 92ºC here.
I like a person with Altitude
Then switch the kettle off when the LED shows 92ºC, and before it bubbles. You’ll be saving the energy required to induce bubbling.
The green way is the only way y’know……
HotScot,
If you had any care at all for the well being anyone else, you would step up, and move to a an elevation where you don’t need to waste the energy that it takes for that extra for 8 degrees of heating.
If you keep the thermostat set at 82 all winter, the water will boil more quickly and you’ll save tons of energy.
What does ethanol boil at?
173ºF/78ºC.
At sea level.
Feeling nervous about the future is the only way you can be nervous. After all, the future is an unknown scary place, but the past is over and done with.
” How To Cope With Your “Climate Anxiety”
There are lots of pills. Xanax is usually good for less severe cases. See your MD for advice.
The best cure is a “red” pill. It’s still working after all these years!
When a person has climate anxiety, it’s really 30 years of weather anxiety. That’s the definition.
This will be remembered as something like the most ‘educated Madness of Crowds/Mobs.’
https://www.nationalreview.com/news/harvard-to-spend-100-million-to-study-and-redress-its-ties-to-slavery/
Only good about all this is just maybe this will help redress the problem we currently have about throwing out/ignoring history in general. Put the money in a real historically history department.
Clear and amusing perspective on all the “nut cases” out there.
I laughed several times while reading the article. It is *comedy gold*.
The latest issue of the AARP magazine has a cover story and lengthy section advising seniors on how to prepare for the climate crisis catastrophes. Hide from tornadoes, that sort of thing. I especially enjoyed what to do when you fall through the ice. Global warming makes ice thinner, right? In reality most people have a heart attack when that happens, so not to worry.
Bob Newhart’s advise to those with “Climate Anxiety”:
Stop it!!!!
Climate change is not causing anxiety. Climate change alarmism is causing anxiety. In other words, a big lie is causing anxiety.
If you look up the meaning of “Climate Aniety” you will see a picture of Griff.
Gonna go with “don’t light yourself on fire” first and foremost.
Ouch!
Nah. All greentards should be encouraged. We don’t want them reproducing.
I wonder what Freud would make of this hysteria? Instead of irrational sexual fears, we now have irrational climate fears. Not just on an individual basis, but on a global scale.
It’s easy to understand why. The people are bombarded constantly with climate change crisis stories by the Media and Politicians. These climate change crisis lies are repeated often enough that the average person thinks there must be some truth to the scary stories. They don’t have the luxury of having these climate change lies debunked for them, like we do here at WUWT.
Starting tomorrow, Putin closes the tap on the Yamal gas pipeline in Poland.
Is it only me that finds Yamal slightly ironic?
One tree and all….
One tree to rule them all.
well if they PAID in rubles- seeing as the west stuffed their financials up then there’d be gas on tap as usual
Oh, Poland’s actually in fine shape – they have 80% capacity to last them over the summer then the gas pipeline from Norway will be commissioned before the winter. Add to that the fact that they already have an LNG port terminal and they are in a far better position than Germany.
Did I miss April Fool’s Day or was this article published late?
Latest:
The UK’s “net zero” gravely ill, hopefully it may end up on a scrap heap.
The government cabinet row erupted later during this afternoon when the cost of leaving measures were on the agenda.
Number of ministers are of the view that the “net zero” cost on the top of declining standard of living, the rising inflation and interest rates might lose Tories the next election.
Problem is that the alternative lot is even worse.
We’ve got local government elections on 5th May, about a week away – if the Tories lose seats there it may provide impetus to change the whole net zero fiasco. We’ll just have to wait and see.
I have a postal vote, sent it off yesterday. In the local elections I & wife always vote our independent candidate, a down to earth sensible man, more concerned about roads potholes and the state of pavements than all the green nonsense.
Wish we had one like that.
our Mayor refused to fly the lbqwhatsist “flag” the wokes are out screaming their hurt feelings
whats worse?
head of the local RSL supports the wokies
Wouldn’t that mean the even more left-leaning councillors would change the net-zero date to 2023?
Please remember local elections should be about local issues, not national issues. The next councillor who mentions party gate instead of repairing potholes to me will get the door slammed in their face.
However many left leaning councillors there are, I doubt they’ll have that much influence on the net zero crap. And yes, it should be all about local issues but, aside from the obvious division along party lines, most parties use the local elections as an indicator of gains or losses in the general elections.
It’s not “climate change [that] threatens mental health” it’s the Molly Petersonites that threaten mental health.
Most notably the editors of the New York Times and Washington Post contingent of Molly Petersonites.
Egged on by the corrupt erstwhile scientists of the American Physical Society.
Gee — they built a house out of non-combustible materials (in preference to …?) and planted a tipu tree. Tipu is a nasty invasive species and precuationshave to be made when planting them.
We built non-combustible concrete block homes for the profoundly poor in the Dominican Republic and planted red Flamboyant trees to shade them. The houses cost about $US 200 each, including tin roof. (Windows were extra).
But what is “sustainable defensible space” — they mount machine guns turrets?
Defensible space is unattainable in residential subdivisions as most houses are 5′ setback on side PL or 10′ between structures. Rural, about a 50′ green belt surround and 20′ from back fencing. Thing is, to remain defensible you need to eliminate fire fuel (trees and tall dry grass) within the zone
Bryan ==> Thanks, but what is sustainable defensible space? 50′ of gravel? Dobberman patrolled space?
I’ve no idea what “sustainable” anything is but living in an area where fires can race across a landscape doing things to reduce the chance your house will burn is a good idea.
Individual houses can be more fire resistant and whole communities can be involved. Locally, programs are called “firewise” and there is a “fire adapted communities” program of the USFS. The Wildland Urban Interface (WUI; woo-E) concept even has a “Tool Kit.”
Gravel is good but getting the Arborvitae out from under the eaves of your house would be a good first defensible step. Find spots along your house and buildings where leaves accumulate. That’s where a burning ember is likely to settle also. There are many such things.
John ==> The biggest problem, as you seem to know, is that we (people) are building houses IN THE FOREST (whether it be brush-lands, piney woods, or tall-grass prairie). Look at the images from the Paradise CA fire, or the recent fire in Colorado built tight up against dry tall grass (which was forbidden to cut). The houses are the most flammable part of the landscape.
Non-flammable roofing and siding, cleared space around the house, and more are just plain common-sense.
Defensible space requires defensive landscaping, while simultaneously maintaining a clear field of fire in all directions. Holly bushes, thorned roses, and caltrops.
And yardage markers visible from the home.
Don’t forget to have flags on your markers. Windage is important.
You forgot Poncirus trifoliata. Will stop a jeep, in warm climates.
roadhog ==> Those are the recommended plants or the forbidden plants?
I prefer Rottweilers, they’re less skittish and have stronger jaws.
“…brought the earth to the brink of disaster.”
Ummm… I want to know what planet these people are living on, so that when I do a fly-by in my space-cadet ship, I can avoid them completely. Do they actually ever – EVER – go outside? I’ve been having strong doubts about that for quite a while and this just bolsters it some more.
The only disaster I know about right now is that Shanghai is on a complete lockdown – AGAIN – and the dreadful attacks on Ukraine aren’t just destructive of buildings and businesses: not being able to stop the Russian encroachment means, literally, that Ukraine’s farmers can’t get out and plant anything and Ukraine is sometimes referred to as a “breadbasket” country.
Now, think what it might be like here in the good ol’ USA if our farmers could not get out and get on with spring plantings, never mind harvesting winter wheat some time in the summer. If you think it doesn’t matter much, well — it does. No grains mean no meat or dairy production (chickens, turkeys, hogs, beef cattle, etc.). That mess is going to take a while to clean up.
The only disasters we need to worry about are those caused by weather events that we can’t control.