Science Chat #26 | Emotions in Climate Education

Sarah J. Ray is co-organizer of the Existential Toolkit for Climate Justice Educators website and anthology and author of ‘A Field Guide to Climate Anxiety: How to Keep Your Cool on a Warming Planet’ (UC Press, 2020). During this science chat, she spoke about the need for centering emotion in climate and environmental education. She discussed topics such as: How can we use psychology to ensure we can advocate for climate justice over the long-haul, avoid burnout, and feel empowered, even joyful, in this work? What are some emotional “traps” that environmental educators fall into, and how can we retool our pedagogy to rise to the occasion of this unprecedented moment?