The youth of day have never existed in a world that is not destined for destruction. Social media and news channels are flooded with ecological disasters. Climate change has become inescapable. Mother and Son share their worries surrounding climate change.

Beau Kunst, 21

I met Beau Kunst at the Bergerbos forest in Bergen, Netherlands in December 2021. He had suggested that we’d meet there as he usually enjoys to take his dog for a walk and unwind from the the rest of the world. Upon meeting him, he struck me as a very passionate gentleman who has a lot of knowledge and opinions regarding the state of the world. Several conversations later, we begin to discuss the topic of climate change, to which he admitted to having eco-anxiety.

“There is nothing we can do to fix climate change, this is where my eco-anxiety stems from. Movements such as the extinction rebellion have gained massive attention and seek to put pressure on governments. But in response, the government actively pushes the responsibility back onto the individual and do not accept accountability for an issue they have hugely contribute to. Yes, I acknowledge that individuals do partly have some responsibility, but the damage individuals cause is microscopic in comparison to the government and major companies such as Shell.

It does not help that governments are bribed by companies into supporting and funding them. Their prime focus is money over living. All their environmental goals are set way too late in the future. There is no sense of urgency because environmental issues will not impact them. They refuse to listen to the generation, who will live with the consequences of their actions. The only people who want to help are the people who will face the environmental impacts.”

The Dutch court have ordered Shell to cut their global emissions down to 45% by 2030, with 2019 levels. This is the first time a judge has ordered a larger polluting community to comply with the Paris Climate Agreement. Shell has been open about their plans to appeal the ruling.

- Roger Cox, Friends of the Earth and David Sheppard, Financial Times

“I try to help the environment, but I know that my efforts will not help. Even if millions of people help better the planet or go vegan, it will not generate the same effect as getting rid of fossil fuel use. Greenhouse gas companies should be regulated. As long as companies are driven by profit, nothing will change and the damage will be irreversible.

I eat vegan to reduce my carbon footprint. I try not to be wasteful and recycle whatever I can. I have also shifted towards purchasing seasonal produce. This reduces the travel the food undertakes. Although I know my efforts won’t make a difference, it’s better than nothing. Maybe I can save the earth a few seconds.”

“In the Netherlands we have a waste tax, therefore people are forced into being more aware of the waste they produce and consider ways to reuse and cycle. Ironically the tax is solely determined by your location and household, not by the amount of waste you produce. For example, If you live in Amsterdam your waste tax will be higher in comparison to Schagen or Utrecht.

It’s a flawed system because the tax is a fixed annual figure. No matter the waste you produce, everyone pays the same fixed amount, depending on the municipality you live in, since they are in charge of determining the price of the waste tax. If we were taxed based on our waste production, it would make more of a difference.”

A single person household in Amsterdam pays an annual fixed fee of €331 whereas a multi person household only pays €441

- City ​​of Amsterdam

“Businesses also have a waste tax, but it is calculated differently. It is calculated on the amount of waste produced and not by location. The government have but various environmental taxes onto businesses such as general waste, coal and energy. But these taxes are not high at all, so many businesses will not care. The waste tax is fake solution, it’s an illusion that the government is doing something.”

As of 2022, The waste tax for businesses stands at € 33.15 per 1000kg. The average Dutch person produces roughly 500kg of waste per year

- Nederlandse Belastingdienst and Eurostat

“Most of the older generation live in ignorance. They are not educated in climate issues and they tend to shrug it off. The older generation refuse to change their lifestyles or help in anyway because they know it will not impact them. So they do not care. They do not care for the mess they have left behind.

I think about this every day. It’s scary because nobody knows what the future holds. The unknown scares me. The way the earth is heading, I know everything everything is getting worse, but I do not know how bad it will get. And all I can do is sit and wait”

Yvonne Bonaldo, 56

Once Beau had finished walking the dog, he invited me to his home for a cup of tea. As I waited for my tea, I was greeted by his mother, Yvonne Bonaldo. She sits down opposite me on the dining table while stroking the dog with one hand. I instantly felt a warm aura being in her presence. She proceeded to ask me about the walk in Bergen and the discussions we had. After several minutes of recapping, she begins to open up about her views of the topic.

“I do not have eco-anxiety, but I do sometimes think about what the world would be like if world leaders would have the same concerns as normal people. I also think about why normal people don’t think about climate change and the future. The future does make me a little anxious, but we have to stay hopeful. Otherwise, we cannot make the right decisions because fear is not the best advisor. I don’t think this problem will be fixed really soon, it takes time. Maybe we do not have time on our side anymore but nevertheless, we should not wait for the government to tell us what to do.”

“We are all responsible, we all live on this planet and use it every day. Every little thing that we can do as individuals to better the planet, we should do. We must think about our actions. I believe many people are not aware therefore they cannot make a change. For example, a few years ago, my son had become a vegetarian. He was adamant that we should all consider making this change along with him. In the beginning, it was difficult but now I wish I made the change sooner. Now I eat vegan foods as much as I can and I do not eat meat. It really does make a difference.

It does make me sad when I think about the younger generation and the future they will face. My generation and the older generations made a lot of mistakes. When we were younger, we did not have much access to lots of information whereas now the younger generation has social media. Young people without a doubt have it worse, but thanks to social media they can act since they have all the information. Despite this, I still feel responsible, and it is still my problem because I am still alive and using this planet.”

Upon meeting with Beau and Yvonne, I reflected on my own anxieties surrounding climate change. I recognised that eco-anxiety impacts my life on a daily basis and forces my brain to work at high speed.