Eco-Anxiety Is Real and It's A Wake Up Call

Content Warning: This article discusses environmental catastrophes, genocide, negligence, and other grave issues.

Introduction

Eco-anxiety is a phenomenon that has been around for a while but whose name just recently became mainstream. Psychologists have looked into the presence of eco-anxiety since 2007. Studies conducted on its existence measured the level of anxiety that people have concerning the well-being of the planet in regards to human-induced climate change. Psychologists noticed that the fear of what would come for the future was impacting the mental health and well-being of many patients who were experiencing increased stress due to the impacts of human activity on the planet.

People are experiencing eco-anxiety for many different reasons. These can include fears for what is to come with our livelihoods, what will happen to our homes and communities, to future generations, frustrations with leadership, etc. All are connected back to the legacy of environmental degradation that came with empire and conquest.

What does it mean to have eco-anxiety and how do we engage it? Is it something to be feared? Something that requires treatment? Or something to acknowledge and utilize?

To answer these questions, first we must understand what eco-anxiety is and what it is not. We need to look at the causes of eco-anxiety and how it can genuinely impact our mental health. Understanding how climate change factors into it is only a part of it. We will take a look at where climate action falls short. We will also look at some insight on what we can do address this phenomenon and what it ultimately means for environmental justice.

What Is Driving Eco-Anxiety and What Is Causing It?

Eco-anxiety is a shortened term for ecological anxiety. It refers to a psychological phenomenon that was first diagnosed back in 2007. However, it started getting major traction back in 2017 when noted activists such as Greta Thunberg mentioned their own bouts of eco-anxiety and how it was impacting their decisions today. In an interview she conducted with BBC-OneShow, Greta said, "It is very understandable to being overwhelmed because these are very real existential threats, unlike anything the world has seen before."

Scientific evidence is unequivocal. Not only is the planet's surface temperature changing at an alarming rate but also impacting the world as we know it. The effects of it are not happening in the future, but today as. I am writing this article. According to NASA, "...[T]here is no question that increased greenhouse gas levels warm Earth in response."

This is evident in the satellite imagery and footage we are seeing in regards to our planet's changing surface temperatures. The polar ice caps in Greenland, Antarctica, and elsewhere are melting at unprecedented rates. Water is already starting to flood beaches and shores. Island countries such as Puerto Rico are at risk of being swallowed up by the rising tides and being devastated by hurricanes that are only growing worse. "There is a growing body of evidence showing that hurricanes are intensifying more quickly, turning from less-serious storms to very strong ones in hours or days."

Meanwhile, Florida and anywhere else that experiences severe weather phenomenon are experiencing repeatedly stronger storms. Winters are growing milder in some parts of the globe. However, climate change has also driven more severe colder temperatures...putting at risk the lives of those who call the state home.

Eco-anxiety is not something that only impacts a handful of individuals. It is happening to us and our communities. What we are witnessing is 100+ years of systemic environmental malpractice coming to collect. The sheer weight of it can feel astounding...especially for younger generations who didn't make the decisions that caused it but now have to bear the brunt of the consequences. It is these younger generations and their allies in many older ones, who have answered the call to address the crisis. Among their many list of demands are the call to divest from fossil fuels.

According to the Investment Energy Agency, "Our overall expectation, based on analysis of the announced spending plans of all the large and medium-sized oil, gas and coal companies, is that investment in unabated fossil fuel supply is set to rise by more than 6% in 2023, reaching USD 950 billion." This investment in fossil fuels is happening despite the overwhelming support for divestment in fossils fuels and for support in promoting better environmental regulations.

Divestment from fossil fuels is a movement aspiring towards the complete removal of funding from shares and bonds affiliated with the fossil fuel industry. The goal is to make fossil fuels less appealing to potential investors and instead encourage them to place their money with companies that will support clean energy alternatives such as wind and solar. In recent years, over 14.5 trillion dollars was divested from the fossil fuel industry, even knocking giants such as Exxon Mobile off the Dow in 2020. The movement against fossil fuels as a viable option garnered worldwide support.

However, the fossil fuel industry is not withouts its own champions. The International Monetary Fund reported that fossil fuel subsidies increased since 2020. "Globally, fossil fuel subsidies were $7 trillion or 7.1 percent of GDP in 2022, reflecting a $2 trillion increase since 2020 due to government support from surging energy prices."

Despite the demand for more environmental protection and regulations, Americans and people around the globe are still divided over climate change. This comes even as the overwhelming evidence demonstrates the rise in sea levels and increased extremities in temperatures. Environmentalism definitely has no shortage of systemic issues to address in its push for the planet.

During his term, President Donald J. Trump rolled back over 100 rules that governed clean air, water, and wildlife, and toxic chemicals. This was met with outrage by many activists, who feared what it would mean not only for the endangered species but also for the protection and the well-being of humans too. Under the policy and legislation, entire ecosystems were at risk because of these rules being curtailed.

Ecosystems are not the only ones at risk from climate change. Nor are the 2,300 endangered species-- foreign and domestic-- protected by the United States Endangered Species Act. Humans-- whose well-being depends on the natural world around them-- are also in this category as well.

Trump made the argument that these regulations were slowing down his efforts towards job creation. "The rule change imposed in 2020 restricted the timelines for environmental reviews and public comment and allowed federal officials to disregard a project’s role in cumulative effects, such as climate change." By slashing these regulations, the former President argued that he was bringing the economy back up with more readily available jobs. However, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) pointed out that this venture would prolong these efforts. Thanks to the rules, States and environmental groups were less likely to challenge the legislation, trusting in the process.

When these were thrown out, it made these aforementioned entities more likely to challenge any ventures. "Contrary to frequent assertions by Trump and others in his administration, a more rigorous environmental review will actually speed up completion of major projects, since it is more likely to withstand a legal challenge by environmental groups or states." The effort to spur the economy at the expense of nature is a faulty argument that demonstrates the limits of what many scholars, activists, and artists have been pointing out for years.

Many of our leaders believe that progress will only come if we drill, detain and extract from the environment. It looks at nature as a means to an end rather than as the basis for the survival of all including us. These leaders believe nature is only inherently valuable for what profit can be pulled from it.

In 2022, President Biden reinstated the definition of effects that were rolled back by President Trump. The definition of effects were jointly written by the Office of Water and the Office of Science and Technology, both of whom are located in the EPA umbrella. They define an effect as something that impacts living organisms when they are exposed to a particular chemical or other potential hazard. It then goes on to list that this potential cause can be within hours or even days upon contact.

Essentially, these rules establish a time-frame that allows for critical analysis of how a chemical may impact organisms when it is introduced into the environment. This also allows for more critical engagement when assessing how to best mitigate the harms of a potential substance entering the environment. These rules also assure the complete removal from any production processes if they are found to bring substantial harm to the environment in any capacity.

The re-instatement of the definition of effects was one victory that the Biden administration gained. Another "victory" that the President upholds proudly is the national pollution standards for passenger cars. These protections are said to put the United States on course to develop technology that will put it ahead for U.S. auto-manufacturing. It is certainly a major victory, considering that automobiles are said to be some of the greatest environmental hazards.

According to the Environmental Protection Agency, "A typical passenger vehicle emits about 4.6 metric tons of carbon dioxide per year. This number can vary based on a vehicle’s fuel, fuel economy, and the number of miles driven per year." In nations such as the United States, where its residents are heavily reliant not only on cars but also whose infrastructures are mostly reliant on them...this can be argued as an important step in the right direction to eliminating such a massive carbon footprint.

The Columbia Climate School released a State of the Planet report, where Biden's voting record shows that he passed significant policies that will impact the environment for the better. However, this same report also goes on to defend some of his ventures that have garnered significant pushback from critics. Many are outraged that in his first two years serving as President alone, he passed 6,430 permits for drilling oil and gas on public lands. This was at a rate significantly more than former President Donald Trump, who passed 6,172 in his first first two years.

Proponents make the argument that voters should be aware that conservatives are already drawing up "battle plans" should Trump take back the White House. "The 920-page proposal, if implemented, would not only undo any progress the Biden administration has made to reduce emissions and fund clean energy development and other climate-related efforts, but it would make it far more difficult for a future administration to pursue any policy that seeks to address global warming at all."

This is certainly no small pill to swallow. In a George Mason University spring poll, 54% of registered Democrats surveyed said they believed that Biden should be doing more to address climate change. This may come as a shock for many environmentalists, who have tracked Biden's previous successes. However, his broken campaign promises are definitely coming back to haunt Biden especially in key swing states. As it is, Biden set himself out to campaign in several Western states, where many of his broken promises have had the most impact.

Some proponents of the President argue that much of the criticism directed at him is unfair. An E&E report said,"[Activists] want him to shut down construction of liquefied natural gas export facilities in Louisiana, stop financing of international oil and gas projects, halt the final construction stage of the Mountain Valley Pipeline and more." Critics of such sentiment point out that there can be significant damage done to the economy if the U.S. doesn't remain competitive in the fossil fuel industry.

To be sure, economics are essential to addressing climate change. What we are witnessing is not only going to impact the environment or people. The economy will also take a major hit as sea levels rise and extreme temperatures lead to climactic weather.. A group of researchers who published an article in Nature Communications found some disturbing results. "In total, the researchers found climate-change attributed costs of 185 extreme weather events from 2000 to 2019 to total $2.86 trillion, averaging $143 billion annually."

The costs that are accrued to address or even potentially end climate change are not small either. Pinpointing a number is difficult because of the different approaches that can be undertaken. Typically though, these can range anywhere between 300 billion and 50 trillion. Sami Adler from Global Giving said, "To stop the snowball effect, we can invest in communities fighting the impacts of climate change at the local level."

A lot of people will balk at this price tag and may shirk away from the responsibility. To be fair, it is definitely a hefty one. How can we possibly afford $300 billion to $50 trillion?

If you can't afford it when it's broke then you might as well pay to fix it. The truth of the matter is that the costs of climate change are immense and while the cost to alleviate the effects are huge...so too are the circumstances that it is putting us in. One can even argue that if you can't afford when something goes wrong you shouldn't invest in it at all.

We are well beyond that point though. What's done is done. The past cannot be changed. We can sit here and point fingers. We can exalt ourselves as holier than those who brought us here. Yet what good would that do us? Who are we to hold ourselves on a pedestal as if we are mightier, smarter, or wiser than those who came before us?

Our ancestors were doing their best with what they had to work with and just like us they were terribly human. They also had to deal with hardships that we in this time period are only beginning to understand. The sacrifices that they collectively made to bring us here did not come without a price. Some even gave their very lives so that their descendants may see a better future.

Yet here we are cowering from the weight of the responsibility? Distancing and distracting ourselves because it is too uncomfortable? Choosing to be willfully ignorant because it is too much work to educate ourselves?

Our lack of faith in ourselves (which is tied to our connection to the earth) will bring about the apocalypse before any other natural phenomenon.

Challenges to Climate Change Action: The Complexities of Opposition

Of course, there are no shortage of critics who believe that climate change is not a serious threat. When one thinks about opposition, one may solely think of those who completely disagree with climate change. Many people in this camp neither believe that climate change is happening or don't care about the impacts it will have on future generations. But many-- especially every day people who have to provide for their families-- also fear what will happen to their livelihoods.

These are the people who do not make millions but whose humble means provide for themselves and their families. Many of the jobs that are rooted in the industries that extract precious resources from the planet and contribute to human-induced climate change are set to be faded out with many international policies and legislation. Without a safety net or support, these workers are set to fall through the cracks. Whether they live in the United States, India, China, or any other country...workers are finding themselves out of work and with little to no support or training to embrace the new innovations.

Dorothy Mei, Project Manager of the Global Mine Tracker said, "Coal mine closures are inevitable, but economic hardship and social strife for workers is not. Viable transition planning is happening, like in Spain where the country regularly reviews the ongoing impacts of decarbonization. Governments should draw inspiration from its success in planning their own just energy transition strategies.”

A lot of these people are caught between a rock and a hard place. Do they participate in dangerous work that also damages their future? Or do they forego this and make sure their families can live now?

The fact that our systems put every day people in these predicaments-- and meanwhile there are people who profit from these ventures-- is outrageous. Ordinary people literally feel as though they have to choose between their futures or their present. Not only that, but they feel stuck.

People have not been induced with the awareness. Nor do they have the confidence to explore other opportunities or even have the means to do so even if they did. This is evident in many rural communities whose roots are tied to the legacy of coal mining.

In the United States alone, approximately 75% of coal miners have a high school diploma or less.

This is concerning, given recent statistics. By the year 2031, approximately less than 28% of available jobs will go to people with a high school degree or less. Meanwhile 72% of jobs will go to those who have a 4+ year degree or trade school.

These miners oftentimes live in areas where there are limited opportunities elsewhere. The entire economic structure of the town was oftentimes built around the mining industry, and many "company towns" were the result of people working for an employer. Instead of being paid in U.S. currency they would oftentimes be given bills and credits to buy things that the company-run store. When times were rough and a company went under or experienced hardship...these people became transient...moving from one mining town to another. "Indeed, many company towns in the United States remained unincorporated, run only by the employer."

Though the company town is illegal, its legacy still lives on. Generations of miners depended on an entire industry to support themselves and their families. People grew up with the presence of a mine and knew somebody in their family who worked them. Though there is an economic boom happening now in mining, this comes at a time when the planet teeters dangerously close to climate catastrophe. This change being induced by the huge amount of carbon that was put in the air by cars, mines, and other forms of unsustainable ventures that run on coal and fossil fuels.

Miners, and other rural residents, are also some of the strongest champions for Republican candidates. Since the 1980s, there has been a historical shift in how rural residents have responded to politics. Colby College professor Nicholas Jacobs said, "That means whether you live in a rural community in Maine, Alabama or the Midwest, you’re starting to behave similarly and react to similar forces. It’s a complex historical narrative. It’s top down and bottom up."

Rural residents in the United States...and in many other parts of the globe...are worried about the future. They fear not only for the safety of their community, but whether it will continue at all. As many of its young residents leave to build their fortunes in city centers...entire towns are starting to fade into memory and time. The ones who remain in these communities have to bear the brunt of rebuilding what was left without the workforce or the same access to resources. Many have to rely on gas and diesel-fueled cars to get anywhere because of the lack of an infrastructure that includes alternative forms of transportation such as trains and/or buses.

These communities have historically been painted as White Americans. This is certainly not the case. While 76% of rural America identifies as White Americans... traditional narrative completely ignores the lived experiences of the other 24% of individuals who identify as Black, Hispanic, Latino, Indigenous, Asian, or multi-racial.

It also ignores the fact that 86 of 100 of the most marginalized counties in the United States are rural, largely located in Southern regions with disproportionate levels of Black Americans living in poverty or close to it. It also impacts Tribal Lands and those who live on the outskirts. These narratives also completely overlook the presence of LGBTQ people, people with mental and physical disabilities, etc.

These people see the challenges of climate change every day. "Nationally, fewer than 7% of rural workers are directly employed in agriculture, but the nation’s two million farms occupy more than 40% of U.S. land mass – and many rural communities rely extensively on farming and ranching." It is of course not just crop failure that is going to impact rural communities. Other factors are set to do great harm as well. Entire communities are going to face water scarcity as the soil erodes and impacts the nitrogen and phosphorous levels of the water, making it unsafe for human consumption.

President Donald Trump and many Republicans built their platform on "Make America Great Again". For their voters, this can mean a variety of different things. The current Republican platform is known for its staunch anti-immigration policies. Senator Lindsey Grahm of South Carolina famously said, "We must make policy changes to reduce the flow of immigration.  The world is on fire and threats to our homeland are at an all-time high."

Homeland? Whose homeland?

Could Senator Lindsey Grahm be referring to the same homeland that once belonged to 574 recognized (and counting) Native Americans tribes? The same homeland that was stolen out from under the feet of several tribes to form what is today called South Carolina and other U.S. states? The same homeland that forced countless enslaved Black Americans to work in extreme temperatures for generations? The same homeland that utilized farming methods that forever changed the biological diversity of the regions and whose levels of impact are still being understood?

Senator Grahm is right but not in the way that he perceives. Our world is on fire. While certainly policy and procedures about our borders should be reviewed and debated, we must challenge these preconceived notions that migrants are "evil" or that we are ourselves are "good." These divide and conquer strategies are what drove us to this point.

It wasn't immigrants-- undocumented or otherwise-- who wrecked the U.S. economy and made everything unaffordable. Nor was it the working people-- Democrat and otherwise-- who told our leaders to spend billions of dollars on war.

Republicans are not the only ones that have a problem with grasping the implications of climate change. The Democratic Party is struggling to win over climate-centered voters. Even as it lauds victories for climate action, there is an indelible mark on its track-record. This goes beyond the economic strife of the masses in the U.S. In many ways, it is an echo from America's past.

President Biden, his administration, and the U.S. Congress at large are implicated in crimes against humanity.

Green Technology is Essential: But At What Cost?

International collaboration is certainly admirable, given the fact that climate change is a global crisis. The United Nations recognizes climate change as a real existential phenomenon with far-reaching impacts that are set to impact the international community. "The world is now warming faster than at any point in recorded history. Warmer temperatures over time are changing weather patterns and disrupting the usual balance of nature. This poses many risks to human beings and all other forms of life on Earth."

"Through robust incentives, the United States will not only accelerate our own clean energy transition, but also catalyze investments in other countries and drop the cost of clean energy for everyone – saving hundreds of billions of dollars globally." Among those initiatives, there would be a $3 billion pledge to the Green Climate Fund. Even in the push to lead the global economy in green technology development, we should be mindful with whom we are conducting business.

However, this also comes in a time when many of Biden's greatest critics are sounding alarms on green technology and how it is created. In December 2023, the Biden-Harris administration announced that it would be joining the COP28, where several initiatives would be announced. International collaboration is great. Who we choose to partner with though and what we choose to engage with though is something that requires a second look.

The United States and Israel have been long-time allies. It was the U.S. who became the first nation to recognize Israel as an independent state in 1948. To be clear, the two nations do not have an official pact to defend one another the same way as the U.S. and Japan does in NATO. They have in the past worked alongside each other to develop a lot of today's technology. Silicon Valley tech giants famously collaborate with Israeli tech companies.

As frequent collaborators, it actually makes sense that the United States and Israel would work together to develop green technology. One such example of this collaboration is Pythagoras Solar. It was this Israeli company that developed the solar window. Although this company was based in Los Angeles, its research and development labs are located in Israel.

In addition to the presence of companies with Israel-affiliations, many American companies also do business or have operations there. Meta and Google recently signed a $1.2 billion deal to provide Cloud technology for the Israeli military. By all accounts, it would be an impressive deal if it weren't for some serious accusations.

In November 2023, protestors around the globe decried the attempted extermination of the Palestinian people and the effective establishment of an apartheid state. Israel claims its actions are following the response of a Hamas-led terrorist attack that occurred on October 7th that has since cost the lives of 1,200 Israeli citizens. An estimated 134 people are still being held hostage, according to the American Jewish Committee.

The Israeli response led to the deaths of over 30,000 Palestinians. The number most recorded as being civilians, particularly women and children. These are people who have largely been described by Israeli leadership as a people who do not exist. This is not a new phenomenon.

Even before Israel was established there were attempts to dehumanize Palestinians. One of the most recognized pro-Zionist literary works, Autneuland was written by Zionist writer Theodor Herzl and published in 1902. The writer's narrative was paternalistic in nature. In the novel, he described what his fictional characters encountered on a voyage around the globe.

"Everywhere misery in bright Oriental rags. Poor Turks, dirty Arabs, timid Jews lounged about indolent, beggarly, hopeless. A peculiar, tomblike odor of mold caught one's breath."

This depiction exacerbated the ideas that Arabs were incapable of governing themselves. Jewish people were certainly dehumanized and brutalized in atrocious ways for over a millennia while many of them lived in Europe. That should be honored and remembered and not repeated. Their historical connection to the Holy Land should also be respected as well. However, the ideology of Zionism is rooted in a paternalistic worldview that deems the other Semitic inhabitants of Palestine as inferior in intellect and in competence. This was exemplified in Herzl's treatment of the one Palestinian character, an engineer who joins the protagonists in their journey as they revisit the sacred spaces that are monumental.

Though this fictional engineer becomes one of the leaders of the new Jewish state, his role is usually subservient rather than as an equal. The legacy of this is mirrored in today's treatment of Palestinians who live in Israel and those who are living under apartheid measures. To this day, many Zionists argue that Arabs were “uncultured” and "savage" until Jews "returned" from Europe. (This completely ignores the presence of Jewish people who were already living in the Middle East.)

We can certainly debate and discuss the legacy of various imperial forces that occupied the Middle East even before the arrival of Europeans. It would also be a disservice to deny the historical presence

of Jewish people in the Middle East. Overlooking the sociopolitical factors and influences that led to Jews in Europe to start a movement to return to the Holy Land shouldn't be swept under the rug either. However, there is no denial that the dehumanization of Palestinians and their historical contributions are occurring. Not only is it being done by Jewish Zionists, but their political allies around the globe.

The International said,

"Extreme cases even go so far as to deny the historical roots of Palestinians as being indigenous to the land. Following Israel’s declaration of independence in 1948, the Jahalin Bedouin, together with four other tribes from the Negev Desert (al-Kaabneh, al-Azazmeh, al-Ramadin and al-Rshaida), took refuge in the West Bank, then under Jordanian rule. These tribes are traditionally semi-nomadic agro-pastoralists living in the rural areas around Hebron, Bethlehem, Jerusalem, Jericho and the Jordan Valley."

When over 750,000 Palestinians were forcibly removed from their homes in 1948 by Zionist forces, these people became refugees. Land was taken from them and they were forced into Gaza, the West Bank, and were scattered across the globe including the United States and Europe. The 75 year legacy of genocide against the Palestinians who survived the Nakba has been overlooked by Western media and scholars, thanks largely to Israeli influence.

Since that day, countless people have been murdered, displaced, and abandoned. The year 2023 alone saw brutality that the world has yet to reconcile with. Diana Buttu-- a lawyer and former adviser to the negotiating team of the Palestine Liberation Organization-- lived in the West Bank. She said "Those who claimed that the Hamas attack was "unprovoked" conveniently chose to ignore the reality that Palestinians live under: 75 years of ethnic cleansing; 56 years of military occupation and, for Gaza, 17 years of a brutal siege."

Buttu wrote about what she witnessed. Not only were innocent civilians bombed and murdered by Israeli soldiers in broad daylight, but efforts were made to instigate retaliation to justify further brutality. Cars were shot up and roads were torn up by U.S.-provided Caterpillar tractors.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his Cabinet have been very vocal about their refusal to even consider a Palestinian-state. The Prime Minister said, "Israel categorically rejects international dictates regarding a permanent settlement with the Palestinians." Despite pressure from nations around the globe, the Netanyahu government is insisting on continuing its plan to demolish the West Bank, Gaza, and other occupied land. These efforts will murder and forcibly remove Palestinians under the guise of self-defense but to go on to develop the land for housing settlements.

It is not just Netanyahu, but his supporters that have insisted on current actions. Barak Ravid wrote, "The Israeli government warned the Biden administration that if the International Criminal Court issues arrest warrants against Israeli leaders, it will take retaliatory steps against the Palestinian Authority that could lead to its collapse, two Israeli and U.S. officials said." This comes at a time when tensions are high and as Israel threatens to place blame on the Palestinian Authority and to essentially level it. They are also threatening to attack the city of Rafah if Hamas chooses not to take the hostage deal.

In these circumstances, President Biden is trying to assure Netanyahu that the United States will stand with Israel. This comes as political leaders ignore the calls of protestors who are challenging not only the distribution of aid to Israel but also how that money is not being invested back at home in the U.S. to support struggling Americans."Two U.S. officials said Biden told Netanyahu during the call that a report on Channel 12 in Israel that suggested the U.S. might have given a "green light" to the ICC to issue arrest warrants against Israeli leaders was not true."

Why is President Biden appealing to Israeli leaders and throwing his support behind the current political actions? The answer may lie in the backbone of Biden’s platform.

The United States and Israel signed a $27 million deal where both nations would contribute to nine different green energy projects. $9.75 million of this money is set for cost-sharing funding. The projects include batteries, agrivoltaics, CO2 reduction, energy efficiency, and more! The Binational Industrial Research and Development Program (BIRD) was launched in 2009 after the United States Congress passed the Energy and Security Independence Act of 2007. Every year since that legislation was passed, BIRD receives Congressional appropriations.

The 118th Congress House report recommended that BIRD Energy receive $2 million in appropriations for year 2024. It was also recommended that $4 million in appropriations go to the U.S.-Israel Center of Excellence, which focuses on energy engineering and water technology. The Department also encouraged that systems of higher education and entities in the private sector across the Eastern Mediterranean be engaged, so as to foster partnerships and develop academic cooperation in academic innovation.

Let's not forget that billions of dollars being sent to Israel to support their "war" against Hamas. This is the billions of dollars that was passed by the United States Congress. Even as American families are struggling with providing the essentials for their children, homeless people continue to go unhoused, housing continues to skyrocket, and more.

Simultaneously, the Biden's efforts to move the U.S. economy towards a greener future also includes collaborating with a nation on trial for crimes against humanity... including genocide.

Former President and current Presidential candidate Donald J. Trump does not offer any brighter outlook. Ashima Grover reported, "The 45th President of the US weighed in on the alarming scenario in a Fox News interview with Sean Hannity, claiming that most of these activists had no idea what they were standing up for and had been bought by the higher authorities." This comes even as protestors who have gathered at Columbia and other college universities across the United States have been attacked and brutalized by police officers and Israeli-sympathizers. It also happens in the aftermath of previous attacks on protestors involving skunk spray, a chemical agent that is used by Israeli soldiers that not only smells horrible but also has lasting side effects.

Sravya Tadepalli reported,"After being sprayed, students reported symptoms of nausea, fatigue, burning eyes, and numerous other symptoms."

Based on these serious implications, it would appear as though the implications of Biden's climate action plan and presidential candidate Donald Trump's comments and legacy leave a genuine cause for concern. As protestors around the globe join in solidarity both for climate action and for recognition of Palestine, these two movements have many monumental things in common.

Both movements are tied together and fast-tracked in a foreign policy that is being dictated in a country that is brutalizing an entire people in broad daylight. While green technology will surely emerge, it will be because of the systemic cooperation of several nations that are ultimately trying to remove a populace from their homeland.

The eco-anxiety of millennials, Gen Z, and those of other generations who are braving the fires that resulted in environmental malpractice, colonialism, empire, and conquest is well within reason. Many activists, scholars, and scientists have pointed out that these issues are intricately connected. The need for green energy expansion is necessary to sustain economies and to provide people with opportunities that will last. Shifting these nations to embrace this movement is no small task.

However, the environmental justice movement finds itself at the cross-roads of a landmark decision. To what extent are they willing to go? Who are they giving the reins to lead this energy transition?

Eco-Anxiety as a Call to Action

Where are the leaders of the land? Where are the people who see this travesty? Where are the people who are brave enough to use their gifts to make a difference?

Perhaps the answer is right in front of us.

We the people have the power to be the difference we want to see in the world. Even now as this article is being written, there are students and protestors of all kinds who took to the streets. All over the world they are calling out the injustice. They are raising alarm to the violence that is being perpetuated around the globe. They are calling on our leaders to heed our voices. They are struggling for a world that is not only different, but better.

One that honors people for who they are rather than what they are. One that respects the Earth and honors it as something to cherish and learn from not just to extract. These protestors are also raising their voice and putting their bodies on the line for those who are being ignored.

Perhaps eco-anxiety is not so much an illness that needs to be treated but a natural response to negligence and incompetence? Perhaps it is a survival instinct to rise up and meet the demands of the situation at hand? Perhaps it is that voice deep inside many of us that is taking the center stage?

Perhaps it is that voice that calls on us to pick up the helms of leadership, wherever we are in the world?

There are certainly no easy decisions before us. We are in some of the most trying times of late. The ever-looming presence of environmental disaster is joined collectively to matters of economic instability and social injustice. These were matters that were overlooked systemically for generations and even capitalized on by those who came before us. These are the struggles of our times.

What can we do?

No one person has all the answers. No nation has all the solutions. No religion, no creed, no language, no one single identity can pose a one-size fits all answer. We, the people of Planet Earth, have a choice before us.

It is one thing to have eco-anxiety and to allow it to overwhelm us. It is another thing entirely to look at the gravity of what is ahead of us and to choose to do something about it. In these trying times, inclusion is going to be more important than ever before. If we allow it, eco-anxiety will not only drive individuals into a standstill, but our global collective efforts too.

We the people of the planet must come together. The unfortunate reality is there are people-- even those who we vote for-- that are profiting off of the misery and suffering of those abroad and at home. Though Planet Earth will continue turning regardless of whether humans are on it or not...the damages that humans accrued in such a short time-frame are already amounting. Planet Earth needs more young people who are engaged with the topical issues of our time. It also needs these young people to be informed and capable of critical thinking.

It will also require us as a species to look deep within ourselves. It will require us to set our differences aside and collaborate. We will have find strength and courage that many of us did not know was possible. We also need to have the insight to not inflict the same misery and suffering onto others that was on us.

Eco-anxiety is a call to action. We have to be strategic, creative, and resourceful. The nations of the world are at a cross-roads. Young people and older voters everywhere who are committed to human rights, environmental justice, and economic freedom must rally together and organize. That means showing up at protests. It means peacefully protesting unjust laws, even at risk of being arrested. It means speaking truth even when it is unpopular. It means writing, creating, and being.

It is also listening. It is reflecting. It is introspection. It is tough conversations with our family members and friends. It is unlearning all of the things that society told us we needed to have in order to be valid. Letting go of the need for fancy cars, for yachts, for luxury homes. It is moving past all of the distractions that keep us from doing the work that needs to be done not only within our communities but also within ourselves.

It is running for public office even in places that have been electing incumbent candidates for years. It is writing letters to our current representatives. It is starting our own businesses. It is trying out new ventures and wisely investing our money into new ventures. It is choosing to do business with likeminded individuals and those who are also doing work to challenge the status quo. It is not falling into the trap of voting for the lesser of two evils every time we have difficult situations.

It is daring to see the other possibilities before us.

It is educating ourselves and our communities...learning new skills, both the practical and soft. It is unlearning victimhood. It is embracing both individuality and collectivity. It is working with people we don't always agree with while also understanding that the common good must take precedent. It is holding one another accountable while also using our wisdom to extend grace. It is also learning to laugh at ourselves and appreciating what life has afforded us.

Environmental degradation, social injustice, and economic disparities have put us all here. We swore after World War II that genocide would never happen again and repeatedly we failed. We can see just how true this actually turned out. Publications such as The Times of India reported that across the globe, fascism is rising and it is doing so in places where it was once abhorred. "It harks back to some mythical past, and evokes national pride and historic grievances. It appeals to a majoritarian identity, which must find an antagonist, foreign or domestic, to project as an existential threat to that identity."

Fascism, casteism, and their brood (colonization, gender binary, patriarchy, and every ism and phobia imaginable) have done a lot of harm to humans, the environment, and to the economy. They are not only wars on the body but on the mind and soul. They have done tremendous harm to all people that we are only now beginning to understand.

Yet herein lies also the opportunity...should we choose to take it.

Our causes and personalities are just as diverse as the nations we belong, the tribes we adhere to, the tongues we speak, and the faiths we practice. We are going to have disagreements along the way and many of us (myself included) have to find it in ourselves to unlearn a lot of social conditioning. We are going to have to learn to compromise while also refusing to give in to temptation to demean the humanity of ourselves and others. Make no mistake though, this work too will also be a major part of the process of healing our relationship with ourselves, each other, and our planet.

Thankfully, there are young people all over the globe, and those who are much older, who already answered the call. There are lots of obstacles in our way but they are already working on solutions. We are also not without wisdom and insight. Already there are people who came before us who-- even in their own limits-- have braved life and gave even when life took from them in unfathomable ways.

When we are facing some of the greatest times of adversity, it is best to listen and include voices who know a thing or two about it. This is not going to be a problem that is solved overnight. If we take these steps though, I reckon we will be on our way to respond to some of these challenges.

Rather than balking away, we should look at these as opportunities for collaboration and exercising out-of-the-box thinking. It will also mean challenging ourselves to look beyond boxes and categories. While at the same time, honoring the humanity that each of us brings.

We the people are the answers to our prayers. Every power that we ever prayed to was already giving us the answer. It was pointing to us. The world was already doing what it needed to do. Humans are the ones who put us into this mess. We are the ones who can lead us out of it.

We are not alone though. The planet, the life-forms that call it home, those of us that often go overlooked...they have valuable insights too. Nature is already doing what it needs to do. Species are like empires, they rise and fall every day. The dinosaurs, the mammoths, the Neaderthal. They all went extinct. Yet their descendants live on to this day.

Maybe humans are doomed regardless. But what if we try...and succeed? What kind of world would we have created? If we are lucky, what world will we have that our descendants will be able to carry forward and live from?