Table of Contents
Notes and slides
Notes from our conversation: why is it important to us to take ecological action?
- Something tangible. Getting involved
- Connecting with the environment
- Walking, being, feeling more connected to the world around
- Making presents to anticipated futures by immersing myself in the world around me – making connections
- Most eco action is pleasurable and makes me happy (different in Winter)
- There’s a huge range of things that should count as ecological action – different for different people
- Can’t unlearn this stuff so have to do something to live with self
- Important – has influence beyond self – signal to others around that this is serious.
- I don’t think that doing nothing is an option. Change needs to happen, must be open to it. But I can be single-minded and take it too far. Need perspective.
- I feel guilty if I don’t do something
- Unexpected positive. Side-effects. E.g. influences.
- It gives me hope.
- Connections.
- The state of the world is unacceptable
- It feels better – the more I live how I want – in line with what I think is right.
- Personally. Feel less anxious.
- Takes my mind off what’s happening
- Can look nieces, young people, in the eye.
- Guilt
- Nothing changes otherwise
- Making it more bearable in the here and now
- It makes me happy. Most of the actions I take are pleasurable to me – it’s important to have pleasure in my life.
- I like a simple life and doing things slowly.
What is ecological action?
- Pleasure
- Garden
- wildlife
- improving environment
- biodiversity
- Activism
- Consuming less
Action refers to doing something constructive in relation to the ecolgical crisis. Example: joining climate demonstrations.
Pihkala, Panu. “The Process of Eco-Anxiety and Ecological Grief: A Narrative Review and a New Proposal.” Sustainability 14, no. 24 (2022)