Love, Sorrow and the Emotions that Power Climate Action
Videos
Grades6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12English Language Arts
This resource has been reviewed by SubjectToClimate's climate scientists and verified for scientific accuracy and up-to-date information. Learn about our review process →
Provided by TED
What it is
- This video is a talk from Knut Ivar Bjørlykhaug, describing the feelings one has like sorrow and anger when confronted with the loss of natural places.
- He describes how nature can be a place to find peace and calm, but it is threatened by climate change.
- The video highlights the ecological crisis happening with the loss of flora and fauna due to climate change. He also touches on the degradation of natural spaces.
Teaching tips
Positives
- This video would be effective to use when having students explore their environmental identity.
- Themes of resistance and action in the face of emotional sorrow related to climate change could be a source of inspiration for students.
- Additional resources that would be helpful for further research into environmental challenges are listed below the video.
Additional Prerequisites
- Students should understand that climate change affects the ecology of ecosystems across the globe.
- The video is ultimately hopeful, but it mentions difficult topics including suicide and climate refugees.
Differentiation
- Students can create a video or write an essay describing their feelings about the loss of natural spaces.
- Some students may struggle with their feelings of sorrow or hopelessness after watching this video, so be sure to encourage students to think about action steps to improve the environment.
- To continue exploring emotions related to environmental destruction, students can view art pieces such as To Protect and Defend or Take a Lesson from Nature.
- Another resource related to these topics is this video about eco-anxiety.
From the scientist review
This 13-minute TEDx talk presents personal stories related to climate change, habitat destruction, and emotion. Examples are presented that describe strategies for dealing with emotions of pain, sorrow, and loss when observing the impact of human-driven climate change on the environment. This is a hopeful and inspiring resource. This resource is recommended for teaching.
How we review resourcesReady to use it?
Hosted on ted.com
Want this to fit your class?
Add your location for local examples, questions, and action ideas.
