By Aly Nielsen |
Feeling sad? Coping with anxiety or “literal nightmares?” Blame climate change, claim lefty environmentalists.
“Depressed about climate change? There’s a 9-step program for that,” Fusion writer Caroline Preston wrote on April 4. Grist, which partners with Fusion for the “Climate Desk” program, re-ran the story four days later.
The article focused on recently formed “Good Grief” groups where individuals can open up about their climate change induced anxiety, sadness and bad dreams. “Imagine Alcoholics Anonymous mixed with an environmental humanities course,” Preston encouraged.
Good Grief founder Laura Schmidt sought out “dozens of social-justice activists and environmentalists” including 350.org founder Bill McKibben to ask how they were “personally affected” by climate change. She then wrote nine steps to address climate change stress, including “acknowledge the ways in which we are complicit” and “feel your feelings.”
Climate Desk members collaborate to explore the “human, environmental, economic” and “political” impact of the “changing climate.” It is led by Mother Jones senior news editor Jeremy Schulman who is a former investigative director for Media Matters. Mother Jones senior digital editor James West is Climate Desk’s producer.
Grist is funded by the Schmidt Family Foundation, the Packard Foundation, the Ford Foundation, and various Rockefeller Foundations.