By Perri Peltz, WNBC
Does the sight of carbon dioxide spewing from a tail pipe send you into a frenzy? Do 70 degree days in the middle of winter put you into a panic- do you try and avoid air travel because you don't want to expand your ever growing carbon footprint? Or do you worry that your city will one soon become one with the ocean?
If you answered yes to any of these, unscientific, questions, then you may be suffering from the latest neurosis to hit the city streets- it's called Eco Anxiety, and believe it or not its real.
Does the sight of carbon dioxide spewing from a tail pipe send you into a frenzy? Do 70 degree days in the middle of winter put you into a panic- do you try and avoid air travel because you don't want to expand your ever growing carbon footprint? Or do you worry that your city will one soon become one with the ocean?
If you answered yes to any of these, unscientific, questions, then you may be suffering from the latest neurosis to hit the city streets- it's called Eco Anxiety, and believe it or not its real.
I know I was a little skeptical when I was originally assigned the story. Just what I figure we needed, another thing to add to the ever growing list of angst producing scenarios. Where should I shoe-horn eco- anxiety? After the kids health, before mortgage payments? My anxiety list needs no further additions.
But off I went to interview the man who coined the term. He's the editor of Plenty Magazine which looks at all sorts of environmental problems, and I must admit by the time I walked out of his office, I was convinced that the syndrome exists. He told me eco-anxiety first came to his attention when one of his reporters was no longer able to get out of her bed because she was so certain and fearful that the world would soon face extinction. This, she believes, happened as a result of covering too many stories about global warming. Do you remember reading biology text books and becoming convinced that you had every single ailment in the book? Well, reporting on these issues, is no different. Just call it an occupational hazard.
I then went and talked with a psychiatrist, a full fledged medical doctor who was surprised by my skepticism. He says he sees a lot of patients who are really afraid the earth is coming to an end and he says what makes it even worse is that the sufferer feels incapicatated and helpless. After all you might be able to figure out how to work through your anger that you didnt get a promotion, but solving global warming? Hard to get your arms around that one.
The good news is, eco-anxiety doesn't necessarily respond to anti-depressants. According to Dr. Stephan Quentzel, the best approach is to get involved, do something, anything. Change your light-bulbs to the new energy efficient ones. Try and reduce your carbon footprint. Plant trees, anything to help the environment. The other suggestion is to enjoy the great outdoors and learn to appreciate mother nature.
The remedies for eco- anxiety may not completely rid you of your concerns, after all, anxiety about the environment is very real, but the experts say it will definitely help.
Perri Peltz
WNBC Anchor
I've been an avid recycler/carpooler/green machine for as long as I can remember. I've pushed it where I can and am so glad to see it blooming! Our local recycling center has extended their hours for the extra business, I see on tv all the promos for "being green" and ways to improve our environment. Even big corporations are getting in on it without paying for the credits! I am now proud to be of the human race! I hope we don't fall back into our bad, old ways. Too wasteful!!
I never knew that there was an actual term for the horrible guilt and anxiety I would experience over the wasteful ways of todays society. Between working in food service and retail over the years I have become more and more affected by our "disposable" lifestyles. It's good to know that there are other people out there that sometime get a little eco anxiety, and how to manage it. I just tell myself, at least I do my best. That's what counts.