From Watts Up With That?

Essay by Eric Worrall

If you are worried about green energy prices, apparently the solution is make more effort to separate your trash.

Three ways climate change affects mental health – and why the story is more hopeful than it might seem

Published: December 3, 2025 7.04am AEDT
Fabian Lenhard
Researcher, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet

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Direct effects: when extreme weather hits

Experiencing a flood, heatwave or wildfire can have a major effect on mental health. …

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Indirect effects: financial strain and disrupted lives

Climate change affects our daily life. Droughts are strongly linked with higher levels of depression and anxiety, especially among farmers and rural communities that face lost harvests, mounting debts and uncertainty about the future.

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Psychological effects: worry, grief and climate-related distress

The ongoing awareness of climate change and its consequences can create many emotions, including worry, grief, frustration, anger and hopelessness. …

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The hopeful side: climate action can strengthen wellbeing

Feeling worried about climate change does not only create problems. It can also motivate people to take meaningful action. …

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Also, research consistently shows that taking climate-positive actions can improve wellbeing. For example, studies from the UK show that people in “greener” households – those who recycle, save energy and make sustainable choices – tend to report higher life satisfaction. 

…Read more: https://theconversation.com/three-ways-climate-change-affects-mental-health-and-why-the-story-is-more-hopeful-than-it-might-seem-270183

I’m not sure how recycling more will help pay the bills.

A more effective solution to household financial stress might be to vote for politicians who promise to cancel the Net Zero crusade, to bring down electricity prices. But maybe that’s just me.