Moving Away From Climate Anxiety: How To Create A Family Eco-Action Plan

Even with 20 years of experience in environmental advocacy under my belt, it was an intense conversation for me. And when I started asking other parents of teens, I quickly realized they were having similar ones with their kids.

And scientists warn that these may be the "good ole days," because climate change is only accelerating.

So, with that in mind, I decided to channel my family's eco-anxiety into an eco-action plan. Here's how I went about it, in case you want to try something similar:

Think about how you are feeling about the state of the environment, and then research the issues you are most concerned about. I recommend Project Drawdown, the Sierra Club, and the Sunrise Movement for climate action suggestions.

Decide your top issues and write down one eco-action you want to start with. I care deeply about policy, so I pledged to support federal candidates through Give Green. My older daughter chose clean energy and committed to supporting the Green New Deal. Her sister discovered that expanding the education of girls in developing countries is an important climate solution and decided to support the Malala Fund. My husband doubled down on his professional work in wildlife conservation.

I felt good volunteering for campaigns and supporting candidates that reflect my values on climate. My older daughter shared information about clean energy and signed online petitions. She said it reduced her eco-anxiety. My younger daughter was proud of her efforts, too, while my husband's work remained engaging and meaningful.

After a month, we compared notes. Knowing that I was doing my part to support policymakers who believe in strong climate action made me feel less anxious. By signing and sharing online petitions, my older daughter felt better but wondered about the effectiveness of digital advocacy. We talked about how online advocacy shifts culture. My younger daughter asked if $100 from an eight-grader would make a difference for the Malala Fund. We reassured her that small actions add up and encouraged her to create a habit of charitable giving moving forward.

Our eco-action plan is a journey to align our values with everyday decisions, and it's one we look forward to continuing. As poet Maggie Smith reminds us, "The only recognizable feature of hope is action."