A Tool to Tackle Climate Emotions

The Azure Bouré's Traditional Food and Medicine Program provides culturally relevant medicines to Suquamish tribal members and builds community trust while teaching future generations to adapt ancestral knowledge in real-time. As they respond to climate change, the Program has adapted traditional plant harvesting through flexible curriculum adjustments, strategic land partnerships, and transparent education about shifting growing cycles.

A Canadian doctor partnered with the British Columbia Parks Foundation to launch PaRx, A Prescription for Nature. The program helps health care providers prescribe time in nature for patients experiencing depression and anxiety related to climate change.

The growing account known as “EcoTok” on the social media app TikTok is working to expose more people to data about the climate crisis and tackle scientific misinformation. With more than 80,000 followers and 1.2 million likes, the account features short videos with scientists, students, and activists highlighting ways that young people can be more sustainable. Their ability to engage people in environmental and scientific issues has led to partnerships with TED Countdown and the UN Environment Programme.

The Media and Climate Change Observatory at the University of Colorado - Boulder has been tracking media coverage of climate change in an effort to improve and provide analysis of it. As awareness of the climate crisis grows around the world, the need to shift away from alarmist information and toward actionable, applicable information also increases. While scientific reports are necessary, delivering information through mediums like comedy or performance art has proven to reach a wider audience.

All across the UK, zero-waste shops are gaining traction, with over 100 stores popping up in the last two years. They encourage shoppers to buy in bulk, minimize plastic waste, and ponder the power they have as consumers in where they shop. It’s part of a broader trend of reuse and repair that is making it easier to shop and live in an environmentally friendly way.

A high school in Colorado is focusing efforts on combatting the recent increases in adolescent suicide rates. Known as Project Basecamp, the curriculum is "designed to prevent mental crisis, encourage students to advocate for themselves and build strong bonds between students," all while also teaching outdoor wilderness skills beyond the confines of a classroom.

The demise of coral reefs has made headlines recently as conservationists face the challenge of trying to save what is left of them from global warming, ocean acidification, pollution, overfishing – to name just a few of the threats. Gardens of the Queen National Park in the Caribbean may hold some answers. From a pro-environmental government philosophy to a reduction in nitrogen- and phosphorus-rich farm runoff, there are more than a few practices that have culminated into a solution to keep Cuba's coral reef healthy.

A Libyan marine biologist built trust with fishing communities through dialogue and education about endangered angel sharks. This led fishers to stop deliberately targeting the species and voluntarily release caught sharks, while researchers identified a vital breeding ground.

Doctors are leveraging trust built over time with patients to combat misinformation around climate change. The Medical Society Consortium on Climate and Health and its affiliates, including Georgia Clinicians for Climate Action, train healthcare providers on climate communication through fellowships, advocacy work, and educational materials to better equip them for these conversations.

The ZenCafé in Lagos, Nigeria, offers a safe space for people to talk about eco-anxiety and potential solutions to the problems they face with others who are experiencing similar feelings.