How Self Care Can Save the Environment
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- čas přidán 29. 10. 2021
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If you're feeling anxious about climate change, you're not alone, but taking steps to help the world might also help you.
Host: Hank Green
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What gives me the most eco-anxiety is knowing that individual action doesn't do much to protect the climate but people are still talking more about the little things we can do instead of talking about the big things companies & governments can do.
BP: We set oceans on fire, and blame you little people for inevitably causing a little bit of emissions.
I get this too, but one thing that I do find helpful is that, as far as I’m aware, research indicates that as people start to take action to combat climate change in their own lives, they become more demanding for action from governments etc’
@@J58LRJ that’s beside the point-companies use “personal responsibility” to shift blame and deflect attention
@@mookiecookie44 Oh that's undoubtedly true in many cases, I was just trying to make the point that individual action, and pushes for individual action from well-motivated groups, are not as "worthless" as one might think.
Anecdotally, my wellbeing has been boosted by working from home and not having to drive 2 hours a day. I use the time to exercise and I walk to the supermarket twice a week instead of driving once a week. The lockdown has improved my work/life balance and totally quashed my anxiety 😁
I didn't have as long a commute to the office, but I feel the same about the pandemic and work/life balance and my anxiety in general!
I was hoping you'd talk about planting a garden. It's good exercise, it cuts down on supply chain fuel costs, it replaces costly grass lawns with useful crops, and there's evidence that exposure to soil microbes can benefit mental health.
Plus it’s (subjectively) fun!
I feel like this should be titled 'how saving the environment is self care'. I really appreciated that you acknowledged not everyone is able to drive, though for many disabled people public transport (at least in the UK) is even less accessible. Personally I believe we need to put less emphasis on each person's responsibility for the human race, and more on the few billionaires, businesses, and governments, which would actually make a big impact without blaming the individual for the situation - though unfortunately it seems those most at risk from environmental changes (such as the disabled, and those in poverty), are not a concern when those that do have the power to change things actually do something. The COP26 took place without a single disabled person being able to attend (the building wasn't even wheelchair accessible).
walking to work would take me about 5 or 6 hours because of the distance. Driving, while stressful, takes me about 30-45 minutes.
Taking public transportation would be somewhere in between.
Idea: the dive into social anxiety/socially awkwardness
If my commute was short enough that I *could* walk, I'd be happy just to have to waste less of my day and money on my commute.
Me too
I find the Lights of the car dash board relaxing at night
I love sci show. 😁
I agree, taking walks has good physical health benefits, and usually physical health gives props for emotional health. That's why so many people recommend exercise if having feelings of sadness.
Also, since I walk, I take the bus for longer routes, but it saves me a pretty penny, which I just end up investing. Using the bus also cuts down on travel emissions by a milestone.
Being nice to the environment goes hand in hand with being nice to ourselves.
I was definitely built wrong. Remote work has made my mental health a landfill fire. I managed to get permission to go back to the office part time, and having the commute back has boosted my mood.
Doing yardwork and gardening is some of the most relaxing self care I do. I take public transportation as I thankfully live in a place where I can. I walk every day for at least 30 minutes as well.
You'll work the fields or go to the gulag. Just like my ancestors did. SOCIAL CONTRACT. ALL HAIL SOCIALIST LEADERS. THEY KNOW BEST. KEEP VOTING HARD, lol.
@@walperstyle I see....
Yeah, it does wonders where the infrastructure is suitable enough
Thought they were going to talk about e-bikes after talking about the lack of bike infrastructure & physical issues. E-bikes fix a lot of the issues with america's urban sprawl nightmare. Was able to finally ditch the car after finally getting a ebike that can get up to speed and get you there much quicker than a regular bike and without the workout, unless you want one. You'd be surprised how mch more you bike on an e-bike than a regular bike, plus you don't look a fool driving your car to a bike trail just to ride your bike. Can just drive your e-bike to it.
Can charge batteries with solar power during the day or, if you don't have panels, overnight when there's less stress on the grid and is cheaper (duck curve).
@@Dan-ud8hz I'm actually working with a local shop who specializes in solar ebikes to get custom solar panels for my tours! Also another huge plus is most batteries are detachable and can be charged at work or a dinner or tourist stop on a long haul.
All PEVs not just ebikes
Joyriding actually makes me happier overall because I’m getting out, playing some music, and experiencing the world. People need to discover ways to put the joy back in joyriding.
I was hoping this would be about swapping out meat for beans. Saved my life and saves the planet. Also feels good sparing the animals from a tortured life.
At the beginning of the video, I thought you were going to go a different direction. I thought you were going to say how the earth is our home, so taking care of our home is a reflection of self care. Trashing the earth is a high level way of trashing your own living space. I also thought you were going to talk about being proactive vs being passive, because being passive breeds more anxiety and feelings of helplessness.
1:39 I feel like busing should've been compared as well. EDIT: nice, busing was included later at 3:06 ! Driving a car is stressful because
1. you can't take in the scenery
2. it's fast & we like fast & because it's fast, any slight delay puts us on edge
3. there are idiots on the road. every single driver is one at some point, even if only in someone else's view
4. little to no fresh air
5. very little physical activity
walking is slow, comfortable, can take in the scenery, don't have to have such high focus on one thing or one direction, and it's mild physical activity.
biking, same thing & you're not limited to only fast or only slow speeds, you can adjust, go slow & take things in or go fast & work your body more.
busing would be interesting to compare to driving in this timestamp because there're none of the negatives of actually driving the vehicle, but you're still doing nothing & not really getting fresh air.
Personally, I really enjoy driving (or riding my motorcycle). I don't have much traffic in my commute, though.
Of course I wouldn't mind switching to an electronic vehicle if it was economically feasible, but there currently aren't enough governmental incentives in my area for that yet.
That probably accounts for the majority of people that want to have an Electric vehicle, hope it changes soon though
"Since you don't drive you might be able to do something else" proceeds by showing a picture of someone, on their phone, selling their soul away for likes on social media haha I'm teasing, totally on board with everything said in the video!
I wasn't able to drive for three months earlier this year because of a seizure (turns out I have epilepsy from a car accident), and I had to have a co-worker go out of his way to pick me up. Public transit is terrible where I live, and I don't want to walk an hour for a job I stand at all day, and then walk another hour home. Not to mention, now that it's dark in the mornings again, I am NOT doing that in the dark and the cold. Plus, while I think crime rates are fairly low where I live, I don't feel comfortable as a woman walking around without my dog (who I can't take to work). My job is also sorting and pricing goods at a thrift store, so it's not really one I can do from home. :P
While I hate driving (but not for climate reasons), I HATE not having the option to drive. I don't leave my home much outside of work, but I just felt like an inconvenience to people who had to drive me around during those three months. I do miss the public transit of Utah, as it was great in the area I lived in for a few years, but the state I live in now is struggling to deal with its growth.
I live in a town that has little to no public transportation
My self punishing tendencies are bad for the environment now too? Sheesh.
I know it isn't as covered by this video but over consumption in general, be it digitally or physically, seems to be bad for our mental health too. While digital consumption is often ignored it's also bad for the environment. Being mindful and enjoying your surroundings is basically free compared to any consumption.
I cycle at least 11 km (ca. 7 mi) on every workday and end up cycling around 60 km (ca. 37 mi) each week. It undoubtedly improves my mood, and I am so glad I ended up not taking a driver's license. It is not worth it and I even saved $4000!
My job requires me to speak to clients and customers so working from home wasn't the best suit for me. I always would prefer working from office although it requires hours of travel on both sides. Plus i get a reason to go out, dress well, meet people which keeps my "socializing" hunger fed. Wfo does clearly keep me mentally healthy however its a downside for my physical health
I'd love to walk to work but living in a rural area, working in a very remote location doesn't make it possible. Public transportation is non existent sadly
This is a great video! I appreciate your acknowledgement that the "it's YOUR job to save the world!" angle is... bad
75% of the world pollution is created by 3 industries. It's not the end user that needs to change. It's the supplier.
@Bitterkind The majority of pollution is because of the coal and oil industry. Period. It's been demonstrably proven. Putting the onus on the consumer is passing the buck. And making poor people feel guilty for having anything at all.
Oh nice, I’ll walk into work this winter. At least I’ll die with a smile on my face!
Anecdotally, my mental health has IMPROVED now that I'm not working from home alone, and am doing research in person. It should be said that I use public transport to go from A-to-B though, and I've always used it on account of not being able to drive.
Public transport isn't particularly non-stressful though, especially these days. If anything, I think car owners generally have a big advantage during the pandemic, since they don't have to come in contact with people to get to work.
I, on the other hand, have to be stuck in a train full of people(most of them unmasked) for over an hour every workday, and it is... not fun. Especially for my mental well-being, as I live with a family member who's high-risk when it comes to covid complications.
"the world is going to hell because of company and (lack of) government policies, but here are some things that you can do yourself to make you feel less bad that the ecosystem is gonna be destroyed"
There, fixed it for ya.
I got my very first eco friendly toothbrush and toothpaste today and I feel so awesome! 🌎😆
Just a tip just incase! Most eco friendly toothbrushes still use nylon bristles, so double check! Boar hair would be best! If you already have that then awesome!!
my dad started taking the train to get to work because it was cheaper when you considered gas+wear and tear on the car, and the added benefit that he didn't appreciate until he started was not dealing with city traffic during rush hour when all he wanted to do was go home. And he got a mile walk out of it every day for the health benefit on top of it. The pandemic hit right about when his job was moving to a new building that wouldn't be easy to get to from the train so now he has to drive again but he pushed to keep his department working from home so driving in will probably be rare, and it's not directly in the city anymore so take a few back roads and you can avoid traffic.
Am a food courier driver. Literally cannot use anything other than my car.
This seems like an intro to a multi-part series. Which isn’t a bad thing, as long as more parts actually come out. I hope they do. I’m anxious enough as it is; adding ecological crises... doesn’t help.
Thank you.
When I worked, if I had decided to walk to work I would have had to start out a 2 a.m. And I wouldn't have gotten home until 10:30 p.m.
Hi Hank, you can start a poll for people that work from home as a side effect of the pandemic to see if the majority likes it or doesn't like it.
Is Hank's shirt modeled after the black-blue/white-gold dress?
"Saving the environment is self care."
In the US, the way cities are built is just not conducive to either walking/biking, or public transport.
In the "Democratic" states, there are lots of NIMBYs who prevent any high-rise construction, including residential, except a few towers for the rich. The era of mass residential tower construction for the middle class ended decades ago. The same NIMBYs claim to support PT, but are stopping railway and subway development too. Yet others live in the suburbs, which is very bad for the environment in the first place, and obviously not conducive to either walking to PT.
In the "Republican" states, they don't care as much about walking/biking and don't think using cars is a problem.
Until the general American public realizes that the core issue is poor city planning, and densifying + real cities are necessary, nothing will change.
How about all the benefits that consuming a plant-based diet has on the environment?
Before the pandemic: remote work is impossible and unhelpful. People can't be trusted
During pandemic: fine we'll do remote. *works amazingly*
Driving makes me super stressed out. I don't get why there are people who loves driving so much that they spend a ton of money on car stuff
Thanks for starting to talk about eco-anxiety. I hope you guys make more episodes on it to elaborate more!
Biking and mass transit. Only good if the transit has some degree of reliability and there's enough biking infrastructure to not die.
You mentioned sidewalks for bike riding. You are Definitely not welcome to a sidewalks when driving a bicycle because you would become a DANGER to Pedestrians. My younger children was hurt by a bicyclist, in fact they definitely are not allowed for that same reason.
That would explain why eco-conscious peeps are breathing down my neck on social media for every single thing I do. They're fighting eco-anxiety by giving other people normal anxiety. Fantastic.
WAIT WAIT WAIT I HAVE A QUESTION ;
What is the real purpose of that video ? Blaming individuals for the environment, or presenting an original cbt-esque therapy for mental health issues ?
If people get better by singing, I guess i'd just make them sing ; Same goes about the environment. Now there's this "Precautionary principle" thing (or social responsibility, idk how to translate ) which, basically puts the responsibility of Everything, on the individual
Examples ;
Climat change ? Microplastic crisis ? Ocean acidification ? plastic pollution ? Covid spreading ? Insecurity and crime ? Unemployment ? ==> Individuals behaviour's exclusive fault
We could all stop buying non organic food, driving and eating meat tomorrow ; this wouldn't change much if the coal and fossil fuel industries keep going
I wish this all could've been handled by individuals. Because as a group, there is an unanimous consensus that the environment issue is real, terrifying. So if individuals were the only obstacle to fixing the environment issue ; It would be at least in the way of getting fixed ( and the first lockdown demonstrated this could work... )
The video just says that eco-anxiety exists and describes a few ways you can feel better, but does not say that you are the cause or the solution for climate change.
The math on walking or biking vs driving shows that it's only a net decrease in carbon emissions if the person doesn't have to consume more calories. Food production is a *huge* part of the emissions problem. Only, of course, if the food wasn't produced locally.
I would like to see a source on that. I agree that the energy required to walk or bike can still be sigificant when compared to the energy required for driving. But I'm pretty confident that it both matters what one eats and also that eating locally is not the most important criteria there. Transport only accounts for a very small amount of food-related emissions, while comparing plant-based vs. animal products is a much bigger deal
I'm very sceptical of that, so I'd love to see a source for that claim.
For starters, if you can bike to work, the distance isn't massive, so it's not that mamy calories to begin with.
Second, moving a person takes far, far less energy than moving a vehicle weighing more than a 1000 kg.
I was skeptical of it too when I saw the coverage of the study. When I tried to look at the study itself it was behind a paywall or I'd have saved the link. If my brain will release the information I'll come back and link to the video on it. It wasn't some random CZcamsr though, it was definitely either done by or shared by a science communicator or journalist I trust.
@@mariewasgehtsiedasan6045 Yeah. If food waste was a country, it would be the third largest polluter in the world. And about 82% of all food waste is plant-based. Remember: take only what you will eat.
I can't wait for driverless cars.
👍
29/11/2021
if you're stressed about environmental issues, stop buying plastic bottles. that's about all you can do. the rest is up to corporations. they're the ones making all the plastic that, even if recyclable, goes straight into landfills, if not the ocean in rural areas with no garbage collection.
One thing that would help, stop making DVDs, CD, books and such... Yes there is something about having a hard copy especially with books however maybe make books after they are ordered and pay a text for the carbon emissions.... Seriously would go a long way to stopping climate change.
Oh and make it illigal to make a product with planned obsolescence... This includes the dollar store and such.
Love this line of thinking - looking forward to more videos on managing Eco-anxiety
Shame that zoning regulations and the way we build cities prevents walking and cycling in most US cities.
💙🍁💙
3:14 or watch youtube videos lol thats usually what i do
Good luck getting your plumbing fixed by someone who tele-works from home
That's a pretty snazzy white and gold shirt you have on there Hank.
Working from home is absolutely terrible psychologically. Having a work environment in the same place as your home environment means you can't properly disconnect from work, you always "bring your work problems home", and at the same time you can't fully focus on work whilst having your partner/kids/Netflix/bed at arms length, and you also "bring your home problems to work". Having clear boundaries between personal and professional, even if it's just going to the building next door, is paramount for mental health. It's why I avoid working with family at all costs.
Having an office space in your house and strong boundaries does the same thing 👍
@@ZentaBon Not feasible to everyone. Try telling that to someone living in NYC or London in a shared flat with strangers.
Working in a shitty work enviornment is infinitely worse for your health
I am lucky enough to have a short commute to work by car (8-10mins), trouble is my work is in security at a Covid Vaccine Clinic... Pretty long hours and stressful when anti-vax aggressors have a go at us and the others there just doing what they have decided is right for them!
I plan to ride my e-bike to work for the sake of the planet but worry those same anti-vaxers will also have another go after/before work too, soooo 🤷
(Pay me no mind, just a comment for the algorithm)
Keep Calm and Carry On
The Earth can, has, and will again cool itself. There is nothing humans can do to change this. Interglacial periods are relatively short.
Winter is coming. 🖖
Yikes! 77% driving to work.
That is a lot.
It's around 60% here in The Netherlands. 25% ride a bicycle to work and 5% walk to work. I guess the remaining 10% use public transport.
Someone explain that nasty “outside” smell to me.
Do you live by a dairy farm or a dog food plant?
@@unidentifiedbipedallifeform no, but I live by a factory but I don’t think that’s it cause I’ve noticed the smell at different locations. It’s almost like a musty smell but I don’t think it’s just sweat cause I notice it in the winter too. It gets all up in your clothes and hair, it’s so gross. 😷
@@elmo4032 if you notice it in winter too I guess you can rule out plants or trees. Good luck figuring it out.
@@unidentifiedbipedallifeform thanks 😂
I will not eat the bugs. I refuse to be microchipped!!
Gas guzzling? No need to say it that way.
Exercise is why people are feeling good not because they are saving the environment. Geez louise. Exercise is one of the best things you can do for your mental health.
I thought this was a science channel, not a propaganda channel.
Anyone else wonder if Hank’s shirt is actually white and gold? Haha, old memes 😅
You need a bigger part of socialism in your capitalist economy in order to slow down a bit your pace on the race to produce an awful lot of things that belonged in the trash anyway. Socialism not only for the military or to save the big banks and the big corps, but also for health, hospitals, schools and colleges. For energy production and, even for food production.
Keep some capitalism to make the things that are not only unuseful and expansive but also wasteful for the environnement.
Keep asking yourself if you really need what you want.
A smarter way to pray... just kidding, to think:
Don't ask yourself if you have good reasons to think what you think (confirmation bias) but
rather ask yourself if you have bad reasons to believe what you are so confortable to think.
In a nutshell, the way of the lawyers versus the way of the good scientists. ;-)
Sorry for the rant. ;-)
land lords are a global health hazard. let people rest
Haven't watched this "series" before. I was excited by the topic of this one. But now I'm feeling a little let down. It was posted in this month? Um, many people aren't driving to work these days. Remember Covid? And I don't think everyone's going to be commuting back to work. The paradigm has changed. Many people are now working from home.They've even moved far from their workplaces. Ecologically that's good news. Socially, not sure! I'd like to see a national initiative to take one day a week off from driving, and just stick to hanging out in our neighborhoods, visiting nearby friends and family, etc. The earth could breath better that one day/week, and our social needs could be met too. What do you think?
And guess who's fault it was that public transportation is trash in USA. It surely wasn't the car lobby, or was it? 🤣
More like civil engineers.
People adopted cars willingly because they were more convenient. Before that we had horses and we had to have roads to accommodate them and the carriages they tow.
This belief that cars are why we have roads ignores our history before the invention of the automobile.
@@VariantAEC Ford et all have dismantled the existing public transport infrastructure and pushed the suburban distopia through to those same engineers, or so I've heard.
Wonder Learning you have covid Causing a panic attack
I'm sorry but can you think about what you're saying before you say it? Exercising is not the same as going out to saving the environment and trying to have a healthy lifestyle has very little to do about saving the environment or should I remind you that just because two things are linked doesn't mean they cause one another. Instead you could use the example of helping others can make you feel better about yourself so by going out and doing volunteer work it can be great for your psychology and help out the environment. What you're trying to do is blatant lies and manipulate (or should I stop making the assumption that this is a show about science and therefore will not use semi-proper reasonings)
Underrated comment!
ah yes, the responsibility is on the self and not corporations.
I think the jump from transport stress to it being over environmental impact is a leap. Most stresses are from traffic and other drivers, this video feels a little far fetched though well intended because of it. It just feels shoehorned.
Agreed.
They're lying really really badly with statistics here simply claiming that people who don't like driving or who are stressed by driving is a sign of eco-anxiety. I would say it's unbelievable but this is perfectly believable. They want you to feel weird for not being afraid.
Great. We've figured out how we can make privileged people less stressed at work 🙄
If only the greedy ones in power didn't slow down the progress on electric cars.
You know those wireless phone chargers, that you get for phone near to charge?
They are working on something similar, in roads, for electric cars.
Imagine if every road in America was able to charge electric cars as you drive.
Induction charging creates a lot of heat which is bad for the battery and most of that electricity is lost trying to transmit the magnetic flux to the coils in the phone (or car and yes this is a technology used in some prototype cars too that still doesn't work well after over 5 years of prototyping).
To recap you lose a lot of electricity to the ether and it can reduce the batteries longevity if the battery compartment is too close to the inducer.
@@VariantAEC Then they should add a sensor that detects when the charge is at 100%,
that then disables the wireless function in the vehicle until it gets down to 25%,
in which it then turns back on.
@@generaldurandal3568
That's not what I'm saying. There are technologies which let the device know when a car is near and when it is fully charged. The problem is that the act of actually charging via inducing a current in a coil of Copper from any distance *IS INHERENTLY INEFFICIENT.*
@@VariantAEC Better then gas.
Speed is not key in this instance,
the focus is on carbon emission reduction.
@@generaldurandal3568
Gasoline would be better, not because it's faster but... *BECAUSE IT'S MORE EFFICIENT.*
Sticking to EVs though its much more efficient to plug in.
It would be a far greater detriment to my mental health to live within walking distance of work...WHY would anyone want to live and work in the same neighborhood? That concept literally makes me sick to my stomach...
Almost every video ignores disabilities.