“I feel so helpless,” said Ali Chen. “If only there were something I could do.”
Ali is in the shower and her mind is racing with concerns. The International Relations student had just heard about the Federal Government’s Budget, which includes cuts to climate change funding: a massive 35% over three years.
Like many other people with a brain and/or a conscience, Ali is concerned about the future of humanity.
“I have major climate anxiety. Sometimes the only way to deal with it is to try and relax. Whether it’s a long hot shower, eating a big chunk of imported beef, or treating myself to some fast fashion, self-care is still important when the world is ending.”
The impacts of climate change are well documented and are already being felt in Australia. The country has recently experienced record temperatures and unprecedented bushfires and flooding.
Ali said, “I do a lot of my best thinking in the shower. With scalding hot water pressure that wouldn’t be out of place in a zoo, I can get stuck in there for days reflecting on the world’s big issues. Droughts, rising sea levels, floods. It’s scary. All while the Liberal Party plans to spend over 36 billion in fossil fuel tax subsidies. We’re running out of time!”
As Ali’s shower clocked its 49th minute, Ali has concluded that there is something she can do. She can take action at the polling booth in May.
She then did a deep dive into her concerns about microplastics from shampoo and body wash making their way into the oceans.
Once Ali had been in the shower for 63 minutes and indulged in a hair treatment and body scrub, she felt able to take on another day with climate anxiety.
“If only there were more I could do.”
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