I feel a deep affinity to the biosphere as a whole, even though we individual humans are just a tiny part of it - temporary assemblages of borrowed atoms and energy, living only an instant of geologic time. I find it especially humbling to think about the world as a whole system - where atmosphere, ocean, land, and life collide, elegantly processing energy, water, and countless elements, creating beautiful new structures and networks, with spectacular diversity and zero waste, all powered by the light of the sun. I am constantly filled with awe at the spectacular riot of life around us, whether seen through the microscope, a simple walk in a park, an expedition to a wild frontier, or the shocking “ Overview Effect” that one gets from seeing our living world from space. Like many folks, I find a great deal of inspiration in the wonders of the natural world. Therein lies a source of hope and renewal, and a way to recharge our mental and spiritual batteries. Working on environmental issues exposes us to magnificent moments of beauty and wonder, and to incredible people who inspire us. Thankfully, there are always lifelines of hope to hold onto. It puts a serious strain on people, and nearly everyone I know in this profession is quietly feeling the toll. And it’s incredibly frustrating and depressing. This daily grind, with regular streams of bad news, combined with the sinking feeling that no one is really listening, has become routine for many environmental scientists, policy-makers, and activists. And we will have to live with that, knowing we are the first generation in history to deliberately leave our descendants a poorer world than we inherited.
No one can honestly say that we haven’t been warning the world for decades.įuture generations will ultimately judge us, knowing that we consciously left them a degraded world. We scientists have been working hard, collecting evidence, writing reports, and presenting it all to the world’s leaders and the broader public. It is now impossible for the world’s leaders to say that they “didn’t know” that this was going on, and that we didn’t have the power to prevent it all along. What’s even more disturbing is that we are now knowingly doing this to our planet and to future generations. There is some good news, too, but most days it feels like the bad news vastly overwhelms the good. Human rights activists and international relief workers face even more dire realities on a daily basis.)Įvery day there’s more news, most of it bad, about how we’re destabilizing our climate, degrading our ecosystems, and leaving a crippling mess for future generations. People working on environmental issues, especially climate change and the ongoing onslaught of Earth’s biosphere, are dealing with some of the most depressing news on the planet. While many put a brave face on it, or deny it altogether, it seems that feelings of gloom, and serious bouts of anxiety and depression, are common and becoming more serious. It happens to everyone.īut it turns out that many folks in my line of work - dealing with environmental crises and the degradation of our planet - have a secret. Of course, I’m not alone in feeling this. I’ve just had an especially depressing and challenging few months, both personally and professionally.
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