Let’s Turn our Eco Anxiety into Eco and Political Action
Anxious about the planet and politics? Yeah, me too. So, let this fear and anxiety, and anger fuel you to DO something!
Here is a list of eco and political actions you can take RIGHT NOW with little to no planning. If you want a future video on more in-depth solutions, let me know!
Take one, take a few, take them all. In short, take what works for YOU! If you’re not a phone call person, skip it. You get the idea. You don’t have to do all of these to make a difference. You don’t have to have THE solution to fix the world to make a difference. Start small. Our small actions matter.
For me, it’s about taking a little control back into my own hands. The world is crumbling, and I can’t halt fascism in its tracks alone. But, I can do some good right here, right now for my community.
Some of these will get you quick results, and others will take time. So, practice your patience. We can’t fix climate change or the government overnight. Keep working. Be mindful of burnout, but don’t give up. It will be a long road ahead, but oh so worth it to build the future we all deserve.
If you want to know why I talk about politics in the eco space, this is why.
Quick actions under 5 minutes
Make a phone call: Use the 5 Calls app to find your reps and scripts to use
Download some other apps that help you live an eco life on a daily basis!
Write an email to your reps: Head to congress.gov to find your reps and their official website for their contact form. Write from your heart, or use the 5 Calls script to inspire you
Sign the petitions you see on social media
Share educational posts, infographics, and news. Spread the word MATTERS!
Engage with content, too! See a piece of content that inspires you? Like, comment, share, repost, etc. That helps boost the post so more people see it.
Document: If you go to a protest, document and share what you see, especially if the news is spreading disinformation
Register to vote and/or check your voter registration
Simply rant with a friend! It can feel good to just get this off your chest!
Donate money. It’s easier now more than ever to give a buck or two online. Find a mutual aid you support, a Go Fund Me, a legal fund, etc to donate to if you have the means to. If not, sharing these fundraisers can help a lot, too!
Actions under an hour
Turn trash into activism! Thin cardboard makes for great, free postcard material. Send the trash regime some trash through the Project Mail Storm campaign. This campaign is designed to flood their mailboxes with meaningless nonsense in order to take their time away from doing evil things. It’s a fun way to channel your anger! Here are some ideas.
Write other forms of snail mail. Long letters in sealed envelopes can take more time to process, and also allow you more time to get your message across. If you want your letter to count, be sure to include information such as zip code, email address, and phone number so that they can check your constituency. Find physical addresses for national reps here, and Google your local and state reps
During election seasons, take time to research candidates so you can pick the best choice for you and your beliefs
Make signs for protests. If there isn’t currently a protest happening, take time to make your signs now. It can be therapeutic to paint or draw!
Make educational flyers to post around town. This could be voter registration information, info about a local org you work or volunteer for, a quick Who/What/When/Where/Why about an upcoming protest, etc
Make informational graphics to post on social media. This is the same idea, but take it to social media to spread the word about helpful resources!
Prepare your protest bag/gear. It’s important to protest safely. So, be prepared. It can be important to have everything you need, such as first aid, water, snacks, and mask, and things like that. So, get prepared before the protest takes place. Here is a good guide.
Actions that take a few hours
Volunteer: pick your desired cause and get out there! If you’re passionate about cleaning up trash, do that! Maybe you’re more suited to feeding your neighbors, try a local Food Not Bombs chapter. You get the idea. Give a few hours each month to a cause that is dear to you and help your neighbors and the environment.
Attend a Town Hall: It can feel daunting when you see the national government doing something awful, and you can’t change it. But you do have significant sway over your local politics. So, go tell them how you feel and what you want them to do! Look up what day your local town hall meets and put it on your calendar so that you remember. The next time you’re free at that time, head down to the city council and sit in. It can be boring, sure, but so educational and you CAN make a difference.
Attend a protest, rally, or march: Some people feel the most inspired to take to the streets, so get out there! The only downside to this is that it can’t necessarily be done right this second if you need to burn off some steam quickly. But this is a great way to take action, get inspired, network, and demand change.
Political canvassing: This might mean you go door to door to talk to voters or call people. You can help folks register to vote, campaign for a specific candidate, or provide voter resources. This is a great way to reach people who may not be the most involved and help them get educated about these important issues
Make art! Maybe it’s a mural, a poster, a quilt, or a t-shirt you wear to rallies. Find your medium and get creative. This can channel your anxiety and also be a talking point later!
Long-term actions
Read a book: A super-easy way to be an activist from home is to get educated. So, read for free thanks to your library! I love to listen to audiobooks while I cook, craft, walk, and work. I’ve learned SO much thanks to reading. Here is my list of recommendations.
Join a club or organization: If you go to school, check out what environmental and political clubs your school offers for you to get involved with regularly. Out of school? Try a local non-profit or mutual aid group to help with it regularly. These are both great ways to make connections and make a difference in your community.
Teach someone a skill. If you want to learn to sew and a friend wants to learn how to make sourdough, trade with them!
Go to or host a teach-in. Maybe you want to show other people how to make postcards or call their reps, you can lead that yourself! Perhaps you want to learn about safe protesting. See if someone is hosting a teach-in about that
Vote with your dollar: economic action WORKS as I prove here. But it can be a long road to learn which brands you feel best support and which ones to avoid. And, it takes a while for companies to see the outcome of this. This is one of my personal favorite ways of taking action because I can put my money where my mouth is and feel good about spending money.
Inspire others! It matters that you accomplish part or all of this list, but it matters more the more people we have on board caring for our planet and the politics of our country. So, lead by example, share resources, and bring a friend to the next protest.
Go on strike and join a union: if you want action in your workplace, that means disrupting business as usual. If anything, please join your union! They protect your benefits, help you in case of being fired, etc. This can be even more important if you are politically active in other ways!
Some advice
Watch for burnout. It’s amazing if you want to dive headfirst into all of this. But burnout is real. Watch out for signs and catch it before it gets too far. Take breaks and rest. That is a form of resistance as well. But, please don’t step away forever. I get it, it’s hard to stay engaged when the world is so full of bad news, but we must pay attention. It’s a privilege to turn away. Let’s keep going.
Make this all part of your routine and habits. It’s much easier to make a phone call today than it was yesterday, and it will be easier tomorrow. Practice makes it easier, and when it becomes part of your routine, it doesn’t feel so burdensome either. Do these things regularly!
Join a local community. Online communities are fantastic, don’t get me wrong. They are great at sharing resources and talking to one another. But nothing beats IRL friends who you can lean on in times of need and share local resources.
Your small actions DO matter. Don’t forget that. They want you to feel powerless; they want you to give up. Don’t give them that satisfaction. Keep going and remember your power. And, remember that we have power together!
Which leads us to supporting one another. If you’re at a protest every single weekend and you see your friend “just” making phone calls, don’t give them crap for not doing enough. It is never the time to discourage activism, but especially now. Yes, some acts will hold more weight than others; that’s just the name of the game, but that doesn’t mean that any act is meaningless. So, encourage one another instead of tearing one another down. If you want, offer a helping hand in showing someone the ropes of doing bigger and better actions!
So, keep going. Let us know which of these action items you will be taking or if your favorite form of activism isn’t on this list. If that’s the case, let us know what it is down below so that we can all try it out!
Thanks so much for reading. As always, remember that your small actions truly matter in the long run :)
Emma
