A few years ago, I set up an Alexa device in my parent’s living room that lets me digitally drop in on them whenever I want. It might sound creepy, but showing up on a screen unannounced while they’re lounging on the couch is the best way to mimic proximity whenever I’m away.

When I dropped in recently, I found my sister and niece alongside my parents enjoying a Harry Potter movie marathon. I asked about my niece’s first week of school and filled them in on my recent travels. Inevitably, the conversation turned to the fires on Maui.

It was only Wednesday, the day after the Lahaina fire, and we didn’t yet know the extent of the damage. But it was already very clear. The devastating impacts of climate change have hit home.

Compared with the extreme heat, flooding, and storms that hit the rest of the United States this summer, Hawaii seemed like a safe haven. Yes, climate change already impacted us, but it felt like, so far, we were shielded from the worst effects.

For me, that veneer of safety came crashing down.

My family and I processed it together. It was Hawaii on the global news. It was us receiving the “hey, I just wanted to make sure you and your family are ok” texts we’re used to sending friends across the world.  

Our rainfall has decreased. Temperatures have risen. Warmer oceans have fueled stronger storms. Our landscape is drying out. My sister and I admitted we were naïve to think Hawaii might be spared.

Then, my 15-year-old niece said almost inaudibly, “Can we talk about something else?”

Since she was old enough to read, my niece has been well-informed on climate change and everything else she can find in the news. It’s undoubtedly a side effect of growing up in our household where we tune into the news multiple times a day. By the time she turned 10, she started asking us to change the subject or the station every time a climate-fueled disaster occurred.

The first time she did it, I asked why. It was scarier than all the other news, she explained. Why? She doesn’t think we’re going to fix it. Like many in her generation, climate anxiety is an ever-present part of her life.

In a 2022 study of 10,000 young people across 10 countries, over half of respondents said they believed “humanity is doomed.” Nearly 40% said their climate fears have made them wary of someday having their own children. And their distress is clearly linked to a sense of betrayal by governments, leaders, and older generations that have failed to act.

Their assessment is fair. While more than half of U.S. adults believe climate change is a major threat, only 37% of Americans say it should be a top priority for elected officials. Only 2% of Americans share Gen Z’s belief that we’re “doomed.”

In Hawaii, we’re still ahead of the curve. We’ve led other states in setting renewable portfolio standards and net-negative emissions, and our voters are more than willing to aggressively tackle the climate emergency. According to The Nature Conservancy, 85% of Hawaii voters believe climate change should be a national priority and 71% want to see bold action, including significant government spending.

With a record-breaking tragedy on our doorstep, it would be natural to experience the same climate anxiety, grief, and fatalism that’s plagued my niece’s generation for years. Despite our progress, it hasn’t been enough. We might support large-scale climate action, but we’re less than 1% of the U.S. population. Is there anything we can do?

Yes.

In March, the United Nation’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change presented the results of seven years of research on climate science. The IPCC made clear that, while current global responses are insufficient, the necessary resources to mitigate and adapt to climate change are available. “If we act now,” the IPCC chair declared, “we can still secure a livable sustainable future for all.”

But we can’t act if we’re paralyzed by fear. If, like me, you find yourself increasingly anxious about humanity’s future, here are a few steps to combat climate anxiety.

Process your emotions. Any disaster leads to grief over losses of loved ones, livelihoods, and sometimes, identity. Increasingly, researchers are connecting climate anxiety, brought on by media coverage or personal experience, to feelings of guilt, grief, and hopelessness. The Good Grief Network is one organization that’s working to help people process these emotions and connect to peer-support groups.

Accept that you are part of the problem and part of the solution. If you only focus externally, on government inaction, your neighbor’s water usage, or reckless corporations, you can easily forget your own agency. It doesn’t matter how eco-conscious you are, there are always ways to improve. Buy second-hand clothing, eat less beef, hang dry your clothes, or take the bus. Avoid getting overwhelmed by the problem by remembering that you can’t change everything, but you can change something.

Take collective action. Research shows that climate anxiety “was linked to symptoms of depression only in those who were not engaged in group activities to address global warming.” Connecting with others who have similar concerns and are working to address them is a simple way to remind yourself that you’re not facing the problem alone and actively work for large-scale change as a community.

And, if you’re looking to increase your engagement in climate activism, I’d suggest starting locally and asking our state’s decisionmakers to invest more in our power grids to ensure their resilience and safety in the face of growing climate threats as well as increase their capacity for renewable energy sources.

At least, that’s a good place to start.

Civil Beat’s coverage of climate change is supported by the Environmental Funders Group of the Hawaii Community Foundation, Marisla Fund of the Hawaii Community Foundation and the Frost Family Foundation.