Everytime I try to avoid the news it seems to find me. I'm terrified because all I ever see is how bad everything is and how it's only getting worse. I'm angry because it seems like there's no solution to climate change and pollution and no matter what we do the older generations screwed us all over. Am I alone in feeling abouslutety helpless? That there's nothing we can do about it so why try? Sometimes I think that it would be better if everyone killed themselves and left the planet alone. No one I know seems to understand or listen. I'm so scared.
Your concerns are well justified.
I used to assign climate change research and presentation projects to 8th grade science students. It has gotten so scary, I no longer assign that topic.
However, it is necessary to recognize it is not just ". . the older generations screwed us all over." Unless you are not yet in the work force, the guilt of not, as a major priority, actively working to mitigate climate destruction falls on not just the earlier generations but the current generations continuing and increasing the amplitude of destructive practices.
If your point is civilization has already pushed the climate system to a point where irreversible positive feedback loops have sealed a dismal future regardless of actions, there is ample evidence to support this position but that does not forgive the current generations increasing the speed of the truck as we likely drive our ecosystem off an apocalyptic cliff.
Bottom line is we don't live very long. Enjoy every day you live, conserve energy if it makes you feel better and don't worry about tomorrow as we don't live in tomorrow, we live in today.
Correction... The IS a solution to climate change... We are just ignoring it.
Please don't worry! Go ahead and live it up! Nature has a way of cleansing itself. The Earth will survive us easily and cleanse itself again. Who knows... Another culture or form of life might be digging US up in another 25 million years!
Everyone will not kill themselves and that is not something you should even joke about. Though I'd love to have God's little SMITE button!
I will keep an eye on what's happening out of interest in what's happening in our world.