We Unmasked Climate Anxiety: Event Recap

Missed out on unmasking climate anxiety? No worries, we’re all about second chances. Catch up with our recap.

The Next Generation Influencer Group (NGIG) gathered at the Climate Anxiety Unmasked event to share their feelings about the climate crisis, learn coping strategies, and discover the need for community-oriented solutions.

CEO of Green Builder Media, Sara Gutterman, kicked off the event by sharing COGNITION Smart Data statistics on climate anxiety. Here are a few of the more startling statistics focused on Millennials and Gen Z:

• 87% are worried about climate change.
• 56% believe humanity is doomed because of climate change.
• 61% feel guilty about their negative impact on the environment, and 45% experience shame.
• 75% report feelings of sadness, anger, powerlessness, and helplessness in mitigating climate change.
• Over half feel ignored when expressing their climate anxiety.

Now more than ever, younger generations of Americans are acutely aware of the significant impact climate change has on their lives and the lives of future generations. With the stage set for the importance of discussing climate anxiety, Gutterman handed the mic over to Brown University Professor, climate activist, and author Kate Schapira.

Over the last decade, Schapira has helped her local community members in Providence, Rhode Island, share and process their feelings about climate change at her Climate Anxiety Counseling Booth. Her experiences over this period culminated in her recently released book, Lessons from the Climate Anxiety Counseling Booth, which aims to emphasize the importance of community and to help people realize they are not alone in their climate anxiety journey.

During the Climate Anxiety Unmasked event, Schapira guided the audience through some exercises from her book. The session began with people introducing themselves and sharing a climate change impact they are currently experiencing. A common theme emerged—wildfires, sea level rise, increased temperatures, and loss of wildlife were prevalent concerns.

Realizing that others are dealing with the same climate impacts stirred up a range of emotions. Some found comfort in knowing they were not alone, while others felt overwhelmed by the widespread nature of these issues. There were also feelings of anger in response to the severity of the situation.

Schapira reassured the audience that all their feelings were valid, explaining that climate anxiety isn't limited to worry or concern but can also include emotions such as guilt, shame, anger, exhaustion, hopelessness, and more.

The conversation then shifted to solutions. Attendees were encouraged to ask themselves, 'How are we going to house people?'—a common issue arising from climate change and other systemic challenges. Instead of immediately dismissing ideas with 'we already tried that' or 'that won’t work,' they were urged to propose real solutions and approach theenuine inquiry rather than a rhetorical one.

It was exciting to see the enthusiasm in the virtual room, with the chat quickly filling up with potential solutions. Here’s a snapshot of some ideas that were shared:

• Relaxing zoning ordinances
• Advocating for long-term rentals instead of short-term rentals (for example, through Airbnb)
• Promoting adaptive reuse
• Retrofitting existing commercial and office spaces into affordable housing
• Prioritizing multi-generational homes

Initial feelings of despair were quickly replaced by hope. Participants saw opportunities and, even if these solutions had been tried unsuccessfully in their own communities, they were hopeful that other participant communities could successfully implement them.

Without giving too much of the event away, Schapira walked participants through the “Developing Your If” exercise, where people imagined a well-thought-out, livable community. 

While some of the participants’ criteria were forward-thinking and innovative, many of the suggestions were practical and could be implemented right away. The event wrapped up with a soothing grounding exercise.

For those interested in learning more about the event or climate anxiety, I encourage you to watch the video recording and check out Schapira's book, Lessons from the Climate Anxiety Counseling Booth.

Stay tuned to our social media channels—we've got an exciting announcement about the next NGIG event!