Dirty Business: Understanding Solastalgia and 3 ways to respond
I recently came across the word solastalgia. It is a term coined by environmental philosopher Glenn Albrecht to describe the feeling of distress associated with the degradation of a familiar environment. It’s a bit like feeling homesick whilst you’re still at home.
Have you ever had that feeling of sadness and frustration when you see a woodland clear, or a meadow cut down to be replaced by a housing estate?
When a Familiar Landscape Changes
I finished watching Channel 4’s brilliant Dirty Business last night. It was a sickening watch. For those who haven’t seen it, the three-part series follows the story of two men who notice the river near their homes, previously crystal clear, turning a questionable shade of brown. What begins as curiosity becomes something deeper: grief, anger, and a sense of betrayal that a place they once loved has been quietly altered. A clear sense of solastalgia arises for the pair.
What follows is an investigation into the abhorrent practices of the water companies, illegally dumping raw sewage into waterways and seas. All the while the authorities are at best ignorant to the problem, and at worst complicit in allowing it to continue. This is despite the documented illnesses and deaths associated with exposure to pathogens found in the sewage.
Both myself and my wife watched the series aghast. We were left feeling a mix of anger, sadness, and helplessness. These are our rivers, our seas, our wildlife, and our communities being damaged by the reckless greed of large corporations taking advantage of deregulation. Thanks, Thatcher.
Environmental Grief and Anxiety in the Modern World
Increasingly, many people are experiencing this kind of environmental grief. Whether it’s polluted rivers, disappearing green spaces, declining wildlife, or the changing rhythms of the seasons, we are witnessing shifts in the landscapes that shape our lives.
Climate anxiety has been a recurring theme in many recent psychotherapy publications that I’ve read. Therapists are increasingly recognising that the emotional toll of environmental change is showing up in the consulting room. Feelings of grief, anger, helplessness, and guilt about the state of the planet are becoming more common, particularly among younger generations who feel they are inheriting an uncertain future. It’s important to note that these anxieties are not pathological; they are a rational response to a genuine threat.
Choosing Joy and Reciprocity
So what can we do when we find ourselves consumed by despair?
Once again I turn to the thoughts of Robin Wall Kimmerer:
“Even a wounded world is feeding us. Even a wounded world holds us, giving us moments of wonder and joy. I choose joy over despair. Not because I have my head in the sand, but because joy is what the earth gives me daily and I must return the gift.”
Kimmerer also offers a hopeful idea: reciprocity. If we are part of the living world, we also have the capacity, and perhaps the responsibility, to care for it.
This shift in mindset can be powerful. Instead of feeling like powerless observers of environmental decline, we can begin to see ourselves as participants in the healing of the places around us.
From Despair to Action: Three Ways to Respond
1. Reconnecting with the living world
One of the simplest ways to ease climate anxiety is also one of the most effective: spending time in nature and paying attention.
This doesn’t have to mean travelling to remote wilderness. It might be a local park, a stretch of river, a patch of woodland, or even a small garden.
Consider the 5 Pathways to Nature Connection:
· Being aware of the natural world through all of our senses
· Noticing and embracing the emotions inspired by nature
· Appreciating the inherent beauty nature offers to us
· Finding meaning in the stories and metaphors provided by nature
· Offering compassion towards the land, flora and fauna that sustain us
2. Small acts of stewardship
Environmental problems can feel overwhelming because they operate on such a large scale. But meaningful action often starts locally.
You might:
volunteer with a conservation or river restoration group
take part in local litter picks (or just pick it up whenever you see it)
plant native flowers to support pollinators
avoid the use of herbicides and insecticides in the garden
support organisations working to protect rivers and wildlife
Small actions help transform anxiety into agency.
3. Find others who care
One of the hardest aspects of climate anxiety is the feeling that you are carrying it alone. In reality, many people are experiencing similar emotions.
Connecting with others through:
· community groups
· conservation projects
· nature therapy programmes
When people care for places together, those places often become stronger.
Final reflections
Solastalgia reminds us that the landscapes around us are not just backdrops to our lives. They are part of our identity.
Feeling sadness and anxiety when those places are damaged, or at risk of further damage, is understandable and evidence of a deep connection. Perhaps the goal is not to eliminate these feelings entirely, but to transform them: from despair into care, from frustration into action, and from anxiety into a renewed relationship with the living world.
And often that transformation begins with something very simple: stepping outside, paying attention, and remembering that we are part of the landscape too.
If you are struggling with solastalgia, climate anxiety, or any other difficulties with anxiety or low mood, please get in touch.