The Evergreen remedy for eco-anxiety

Feeling overwhelmed by the climate crisis?

You’re not alone.

Raging wildfires, record-breaking heat waves and devastating floods have affected us all in some way. Last July, when we experienced once-in-a-generation flooding at Evergreen Brick Works, my colleagues and I felt the heavy weight of an increasingly unpredictable climate. Even moderate rainfall is now something that brings to mind the devastating impacts of that flood, and I worry about it happening again.

Enter the term “eco-anxiety,” the distress felt by a person about the climate crisis.

In a moment when we know that some climate changes are already irreversible, it’s no wonder people are reporting feeling anxious about the future of the planet — and young people are especially worried.

What can we do when it all starts to feel overwhelming? In honour of Earth Month, here are a few ways to replace worrying with simple, meaningful actions that will hopefully help both you and our planet.

Beaver spotted at Evergreen Brick Works. Photo: Al Yoshiki

Get into green space

When I’m stressed or anxious, a walk in the park is one of the best ways to get out of my head. Scientific studies support this: spending time in nature can help reduce anxiety, lower your heart rate and help you feel more relaxed. Even just 2 hours a week is enough for people to report significant improvements in wellbeing.

If you’re reading this from Toronto, you’re lucky enough to have access to the largest urban ravine system in the world. Evergreen Brick Works, our headquarters in the Don Valley, is something of a hidden gem. Many people don’t know the abundant wildlife — like beavers, deer, muskrats, coyotes, and rabbits — just 15 minutes from downtown Toronto. You can also get inspired by our list of great urban trails or view our favourite green spaces across Canada.

People connecting at Evergreen Brick Works. Photo: Al Yoshiki

Find your people

No one wants to feel like they’re in this alone. In hard times, we must lean on our communities. After last year’s flood at the Brick Works, the outpouring of support from the community helped us physically recover from the flood, but it also gave us the energy and inspiration to keep doing what we were doing, despite the massive losses and setbacks.

Here are a few ways to build your eco-conscious community:

• Shop at farmers markets: Meet the people who make and grow your food, and watch as new people become friendly, familiar faces week after week.
• Grow in community gardens: Meet your neighbours, share knowledge across generations, and grow food for family, neighbours and local wildlife.
• Join a ‘buy nothing’ group: You’ll be surprised by how many people you can connect with in your neighbourhood who prioritize sustainable ways of shopping.
• Curate your algorithm: Unfollow accounts that make you want to overconsume and follow creators who promote climate action. We love Toronto-based influencer Conscious Cass, who not only shares tips on greener living, but also hosts the Conscious Coffee Party, a chance to learn about sustainable living and meet new people over local food and drinks.

A workshop at Evergreen Brick Works on making inks out of food scraps and mindfully-harvested plants

Embrace climate action in daily life

Taking climate action is not about being a perfect environmentalist. It’s nearly impossible to avoid plastic in our daily lives, sometimes it only makes sense to drive, and we can’t always prevent waste. But we can take some small, meaningful actions that, collectively, can make a massive difference for our local ecosystems and the planet.

In honour of Earth Month, Evergreen Brick Works is hosting activities every weekend that celebrate greener ways of living. Here are a few ideas you can take from our programming to embrace climate action in your day-to-day:

• Practice sustainable hobbies: There are countless ways to get crafty and creative sustainably. We’re inspired by Alexandra Iorgu, who teaches us how to make inks out of plants and kitchen scraps. We also love Art Hive Pop-Ups for diverting waste in their art-making sessions. Get inspired by our full lineup of eco-friendly hobby workshops this April.
• Engage with local grassroots organizations: Consider lending your time and energy to support organizations doing climate advocacy, conservation and education work. For Earth Month, we’ve partnered with amazing groups like Turtle Protectors, Don’t Mess with the Don and the Invasive Species Centre.
• Get around the green way: Take public transportation, join a carpool, walk or cycle to your destination if you can. If you’re nervous about cycling in the city, look for group rides to build your confidence. At Evergreen Brick Works, we offer a free shuttle bus that runs between our site and Broadview Station every 30 – 40 minutes. It’s accessible, includes bike racks, and you don’t have to worry about parking!

15 years ago, the place we now call Evergreen Brick Works was brownfield land—polluted, abandoned and unhabitable. Today, it’s a fully restored wetland and meadow ecosystem bursting with flora and fauna. While eco-anxiety is on the rise, we hope places like Evergreen Brick Works can inspire hope.

This Earth Month, we invite you to celebrate with us—join hands-on workshops, explore our trails, and reconnect with nature through family-friendly programming every Sunday in April. Let’s take action together!