Royston Environmental Group: Be Sustainable this September

“Saving the Planet” can evoke images of hair shirts, loss of convenience, or fears of being denied key pleasures in life like favourite foods or travel.

For some, worry about the future and what we or our children/grandchildren may live through can be challenging. It’s not all doom and gloom though.

In 2018, the American Psychological Association (www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Psychological_Association) acknowledged the impact of climate change on mental health (www.apa.org/news/press/releases/2017/03/climate-mental-health); it said that “gradual, long-term changes in climate can also surface a number of different emotions, including fear, anger, feelings of powerlessness, or exhaustion”. Coming together with like-minded others to talk about your feelings can help. Local groups for this include Royston’s People Planet Pint, which meets about every month to talk about all things community and share thoughts and ideas about eco concepts.

If you are looking for something more in depth to help you manage challenging feelings around environmental issues, online or in person Climate Cafes (www.climate.cafe) could help you. Another effective way to combat your worries about the future and environment, is to find your own personal community and take action; whatever suits you. Find what gives you joy and build on this to create something positive for others and the planet. A great example of this are the What If Craftivists (www.facebook.com/craftivismnorthherts), who use crafting skills to raise awareness about climate change.

One way to take action would be to join your local environmental group, Royston Environmental Group, and start something new. Make new friends, have fun, get outdoors, and lift your mood while making Royston and the world a better place.

Find out more about Royston Environmental Group:  www.roystonenvironmentalgroup.org.uk  | www.facebook.com/Royston-Environmental-Group