Talking and thinking about climate change is really stressful.
The Emotional Toll of Climate Change
Setup
Aspen Ideas: Health Engaging Local Issues Series: In Roaring Fork Valley, the realities of climate change are never far from our lives. Pests and invasive plants are altering our ecology, warming trends are likely to ignite ever-larger fires, and an economy built around outdoor activities could be transformed. The term “climate anxiety” has been coined to suggest the intensity of the resulting anxiety, anger, and sense of loss. But champions of change are fighting back with strategies to build both personal resilience and community engagement. And youth are stepping forward to say, “not on our watch,” filing a lawsuit that challenges the federal government’s failure to protect their constitutional right to life, liberty and property. How do we use activism to overcome feelings of helplessness about climate change?
- 2019 Health
- Environment
- Society
Explore More
Environment
Each year brings more destructive natural disasters and growing evidence of the challenging future we face if we don’t address climate change. But the biggest cause of climate...
Young people in America are struggling. The causes are varied and may not be entirely clear, but the results are unfortunately unmistakable. Many of our youth feel lonely, iso...
Friends, partners, children, families, coworkers — these connections profoundly shape our lives, and even in the best of times, navigating them takes real work. It also means...
New York Times columnist and bestselling author David Brooks is known for bringing his thoughtful reflections on politics and culture, but at this year’s Aspen Ideas Festival,...
Jump in by watching our 15 most popular talks of all time. From black holes to jazz and civil rights to psychology hacks, we've collected the talks that remain audience favori...
If we do absolutely nothing to mitigate climate change, scientists estimate the toll could be $38 trillion a year in damages. Industrialized countries like the United States,...
Finding the national and global headlines understandably bleak lately? Whether you need mental distraction or stimulation, engross yourself in compelling topics and get a gli...
Today's kids are coming of age against a backdrop of political, social, technological and economic upheaval. While these circumstances are shaping a precocious generation that...
Hope seems like a simple concept, but the feeling can be difficult to hold onto. And when times are difficult and chaos swirls around us, it’s more important than ever. How do...
Advocates, healthcare providers, legislators, researchers, and venture capitalists are bringing the unique health needs of women to light – from vigorous policy debates on iss...
The recognition that all things are connected is at once a scientific principle and a philosophical touchstone. Humans, animals, and the environment are intertwined in complex...
Ethical dilemmas, stakeholder pressure, building trust — leading organizations requires wisdom and stamina from the top. Who wouldn’t want some advice?
What makes us happy — really? How can we raise resilient and empathetic children? What does it mean to be truly connected in our increasingly digital world? Can we re-instill...
A couple of degrees makes a world of difference — megafires, rising seas, failing infrastructure, and food systems require our immediate attention. Demands on dwindling natura...
Our need for human connection is profound and deep. Yet, today, one in two adults are living with measurable levels of loneliness – and the numbers are even higher among young...
Conflict and suffering can bring out the worst in people, but it can also bring out the best. This is one of the lessons New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristof has learned...
Women are crucial to the climate movement, but their voices are often underrepresented and their work goes under-supported. Meet just a few of the women from this year’s Aspen...
The federal right to abortions in the United States has been overturned, access to contraception and IVF services are threatened in many states, and the gender wage gap persis...
Henry Louis Gates Jr. — one of America’s leading public intellectuals and director of the Hutchins Center for African and African American Research at Harvard — explains the i...
A nonbinary comedian challenges us to question our notions of self, gender and society, and opens our eyes to what we may gain in the process.