by Robert Poe
“Why would I have a kid when the world’s already screwed?”
It’s not the first time I’ve heard that. Another Gen Z friend, staring out a café window, jaw in hand, eyes scanning the street like it might hold an answer. Traffic rushes past—business as usual—but something in their gaze is different.
It’s existential.
“Is anything I’m doing right now worth it when we can’t even agree on the basics? By the time I’m your age, Christmas’ll be in July. It’s only getting hotter. The floods, the wind—it’s worse every year.”
Gut punch. I’ll probably be gone before the worst of it even hits.
Australian philosopher Glenn Albrecht coined solastalgia in 2003 to describe the ache we feel when the land we live on changes faster than we can adapt. Think of a Colorado family returning after the Front Range fires to find their blackened hillside—and their own nerves—still smoldering.
Literally and actually, the world is on fire or in upheaval. Fight or flight—what do you do? You doom scroll, hoping to find one article that says it’s all under control. Or maybe you just want permission to stop trying. Ambiguity eats us alive. If we’re putting all our chips on the table, we want to know we’ll win.
But here’s the thing: all that anxiety, all that grief, all that energy—it’s the evidence that we care. That we’re not numb. That this world still matters to us.
So what now?
1. Feel it all.
Have you given yourself the space to grieve? To feel the hopelessness, the anxiety, the overwhelm? It won’t swallow you. In fact, it’s a doorway – one that leads to an honest, ongoing conversation with yourself. Get back to basics: journal, take a walk, listen to music that moves you, or talk with someone who can hold space without judgment. Feel your feelings. Move your body. Let it process.
2. Take accountability.
Acknowledge where you’ve fallen short – not to shame yourself, but to locate where growth is possible. Let go of guilt and perfectionism. Shift your focus toward progress. Reframe your thinking. “I haven’t recycled consistently these past few months. But now that I know more, I’m ready to do better.” Give yourself – and others – credit when you shift perspective.
3. Embrace solastalgia.
Solastalgia is the alarm bell – you aren’t broken – you know how things were and that they are different now. Listen to yourself. Trust your intuition. It is ok to not be ok with how everything surrounding your home has changed.
4. Reconnect and rebuild community.
Don’t let isolation take root. Find your people. Whether it’s an online climate group, a local nonprofit like RegenAll, or just a neighbor who shares your values—community changes everything.
5. De-stigmatize alternative transportation.
Let’s stop side-eyeing people who bike or take the bus. For some, it’s the only option. For others, it’s a choice. Either way, fewer cars on the road means cleaner air and better health for everyone. Sustainability isn’t a one-look movement – it’s a collective effort in every neighborhood.
6. Commit to participation.
You’re not responsible for fixing everything. But you are responsible for showing up. Do what you can, consistently, and trust that it matters.
7. Find your lane.
Not everyone’s built for protest lines or four-hour phone banks. Maybe you compost. Maybe you start biking once a week. Maybe you call your city rep. The point is to move your body and mind into alignment. You’ll feel better when you see yourself doing something, anything, that makes a dent.
8. Speak up – and speak out.
Contacting your local, state, and federal representatives truly does make a difference. It’s a low-barrier contribution to collective action and a satisfying way to use your voice. Use any – or all – of the following tools.
- Apps: There are platforms, like 5Calls, that help you contact your representatives, offer sample scripts, and even auto-dial. You don’t need to be a policy expert to make a call.
- Phone calls: Already know what you want to say? Call your local government, the White House, even major companies. They track the topics people call about – and sometimes, real people are listening.
- Emails: Especially effective with businesses, emails can communicate preferences that matter—particularly when you’re a loyal customer or client.
- Letters: Old-school? Maybe. But real letters get noticed. Bonus points for handwritten or signed mail. Some offices still treat it with extra weight.
9. Personal connection matters.
You don’t have to scream on a megaphone to make an impact. Start where you are. If your gift is presence, use it. Ask someone in your life what they think about sustainability. Invite a conversation without preaching. Connection is contagious. Plant seeds.
10. Do less, better.
Don’t burn yourself out trying to do everything. Choose two things you can give your whole heart to, rather than five you’ll fizzle on.
11. Educate yourself.
Educate so you know how you can participate! (We can help with that!) We have data, analysis, and research to help you figure out where to start or go deeper. The more you know, the more you’ll trust yourself in the process.
12. Volunteer a little.
(We’ve got that too.) Volunteering has many benefits outside of just the main goal you are pursuing: getting connected to community, meeting new people, knowing that you are a part of a bigger whole. But when these good vibes get together, it becomes the catalyst and the fuel for real change. Just one day a week can make all the difference in your life and in the movement. Not just for a cause, but for each other.
13. Share wisely.
Use your platforms, such as social media channels, to spread helpful, grounded, hopeful content. Uplift, inform, inspire. Climate reporting and storytelling can often be categorized into “doom and gloom” or “solutions-oriented.” Be part of the solution.
14. Depoliticize it.
This is about clean air, clean water, and a livable future – not about party lines.
15. Spend with intention.
Buy local when you can. Support brands (big or small) that walk the talk on sustainability. Look for companies moving toward net-zero, with recycled or regenerative products.
Robert Poe
Robert Poe is the founder of Anchor & Atlas Strategies, a grassroots consultancy empowering individuals with ADHD to navigate complex systems with clarity and confidence. Currently pursuing a B.A. in Psychology with a minor in Sustainability, he’s driven to build life-giving structures—for both people and planet. His own experience with ADHD fuels a deep commitment to accessibility, empathy, and designing solutions that actually work. Robert believes true sustainability begins with how we treat each other—and that everyone deserves both a map and an anchor in complex times.
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