Maverick Musings #6
I have long understood that climate change is not only an environmental issue -- it is a humanitarian, economic, health and justice issue as well. -Frances Beinecke
There is a whole venue of emotions and life associated with the corals near the shores, with the richness of the forests, with the wide icescapes and with the return of every monsoon. The ordeals of communities at the forefront of the climate crisis are not unknown. Welcome to the sixth edition of Maverick Musings ??. This time we will talk about climate change and mental health.
Mastering Green skills
Let's go about soft skills, skills that are not quite developed using hypothesis or involve analyzing meaning simply non-technical.
1. Providing Psychosocial Support for Youngsters:
Understanding how to engage children in the aftermath of a disaster is crucial to their emotional recovery. Learning simple psychosocial support techniques, such as using fun games and activities, can create a safe space for youngsters to express their feelings and cope with trauma. By offering a sense of normalcy and emotional support, we can help the younger generation process their experiences and build resilience for the future. For young fighters, after a disaster, all they yearn for is playtime, and we as changemakers have one role, play with them. Simply the company and fun can help them overcome what they witnessed.
2. Active Listening and Support for Families:
Post-disaster, families often need someone to listen and empathize with their experiences. Being an active listener, even if you're not a psychologist or counsellor, can provide immense relief to those seeking to vent their emotions. Additionally, acquiring basic knowledge, such as helping families retrieve important documents or assisting them in applying for essential services, can alleviate stress and anxiety related to the recovery process. By lending a helping hand, we can contribute to their mental well-being and overall recovery. Create a non-judgmental space for the forefront receivers of extreme climate events. They have a lot to yell and scream about the unjust system, a lot to cry and weep about the lost lives, and a whole lot of strength to face what comes next, so Listen. Understand and if your free will allow it, reciprocate.
Veering of course graciously.. because the dialogue we engaged with 60 young mental health professionals and social workers on the 20th of July was incredible.
Sustera Foundation in collaboration with INECC and LAYA Resource Center organized The Climate Action and Mental Health Training Program: Towards Building Resilience in the Face of Climate Crisis. "It's only once you are able to conserve the natural resources that we can take care of our mental and physical health," says former Minister of Health, Social Justice and Woman and Child Development (Kerala), KK Shailaja teacher.
This training program was aimed to equip mental health professionals with essential knowledge and skills to address the profound mental health challenges arising from the impact of climate change. Watch our entire discussion here
Seizing opportunities
Ram Hattikudur Advanced Training in Conservation is your chance for bridging the gap, the gap where we lose lives due to poor conservation
strategies. A residential four-month training program for young earthlings mentored by Indian and international experts from the field. And hey! you could be the one among the 10 to receive a fellowship
Deadline: August 10
Funding Amount: ￡1,000
The Environmental Design Studio is offering small monetary prizes for new and novel approaches that go beyond traditional bounds in communicating the impacts of climate change.
They are looking for innovative thinkers who can contextualize stories and leverage creative mediums to raise awareness about the urgent climate crisis.
Deadline: 22nd August 2023.
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Youth-led initiatives
Green Kerala Volunteers a community set up in 2021 started with clearing up waste from the paddy fields. These young earthlings made up their mind to set out as a platform to make the community aware of the activities that were taking place in their districts. We are proud that the founder of this young initiative is none other than an ex cohort of CLPx (Kerala edition), Narendran S Nair . Their latest project at Kozhippara in Palakkad district, Kerala, is to set up a mini fruit-forest in a Government Higher Secondary School. They joined hands with the network they built among climate leaders and raised the required fund to start the project ?? ?? ??
Isn't it amazing that once we learn how to do it we find young earthlings actually doing it? It would have been one such boring seminar on fundraising or about networking from where young ideas sprout. Young minds are watching, let's show them how to save and conserve our world.
The latest Eco headlines
According to a???? review by Imperial College London, increasing global temperatures and heatwaves associated with climate change may have a significant impact on mental health. The study found a potential link between higher ambient temperatures, temperature variability, and heat waves, with an increase in hospital attendance for mental health disorders, poorer mental health and well-being in communities, and a rise in suicides. Published in The Lancet Planetary Health, the research underscores the urgent need for climate action and preventive strategies to address the potential mental health consequences of rising temperatures.
Climate change has rapidly shifted from a possibility to a harsh reality, bringing with it extreme weather events and their dire consequences. Young people are vulnerable to climate-related trauma, suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, depression, and learning disorders. It is critical that we consider how to support young people affected by climate change anxiety and the possibilities of looking forward to supporting them.?
Insights from our CEO
Every day, I wake up with a profound sense of anxiety about the state of our ??planet and the challenges posed by climate change. The impact of our daily actions is leaving millions of people vulnerable to the effects of this crisis.
While I try to maintain a smile and remain joyful, deep inside, I carry a weight of anxiety and stress. Perhaps it's because my news feed is filled with stories of climate?#disasters?and updates on?#climate?science. This anxiety affects not only me but also many of my colleagues working in this sector.
The long-term changes in weather patterns, including increasing heatwaves and unpredictable weather events, are taking a toll on all of us. Farmers experience stress due to unpredictable weather, leading to economic losses. Post-disaster stress is another significant concern, with millions of people going through phases of distress following climate-related disasters. Young children are phasing anxiety issues knowing their elders are doing nothing about all of this!
Recognizing the importance of addressing?#mentalhealth, we have identified it as one of the top 15 solutions for climate action in Kerala. The training was quite insightful and paved the way for a lot of new knowledge in the subject.
From our archives to yours
Here is an article for you! "There are gaps in understanding the impact of climate change on mental health and psychosocial well-being, but current knowledge is sufficient to act!". Highlighting different ways the changing climate impacts mental health and solutions to lend a helping hand, this particular piece requests you to act now to protect mental health ??
Also in other news, we released our book on 'Top 15 Solutions of Climate Change in Kerala" ?? Link to be made available soon.
That's all folks from our side,
Head up cheer up, we got a world to keep up ??