Eco-anxiety resources

Do you feel worry or concern for the environment? These tools are designed to support you through experiences of eco-anxiety.

    Getting involved in conservation can sometimes feel overwhelming. Eco-anxiety is the feeling of extreme concern or worry for the environment or ocean, which can impact mental health and wellbeing.

    These resources can be used individually or in a group, and have been designed to help you acknowledge and release your own eco-anxiety and reconnect with your love and passion for the ocean.

    Created for the Marine Conservation Society by Rosie Robinson-Kyle, Kingston Maurward College.

    A silhouette of a lone fisherman under a pier.

    Find support

    We have a number of links to organisations that may be able to offer further support to those affected by eco-anxiety, as well as opportunities to connect with like-minded people.

    Find out more

    Blue mindfulness

    Nature has been proven to help our wellbeing and make us feel happier and calmer.

    As well as parks and woodlands, many people find watery blue spaces help their wellbeing. All around us are blue spaces that we can experience - both big and small - from a local pond, canal, river, or lake, to the biggest blue space in the world: the ocean. 

    Our mindfulness exercise is a great way to introduce the concept of wellbeing. Join us for a guided meditation to connect yourself to a blue space close to you.

    Learn about blue mindfulness

    A beach in Autumn  |  Image credit: Britt Gaiser

    Letter to the ocean

    This is a five to 20 minute reflective activity designed to help you get in touch with your feelings of ocean anxiety, so that you can recognise and release it.

    The time you need will vary depending on how much you have to say. For some, it could be a quick five-minute activity, for others it may take longer. We'd advise spending no more than 20 minutes on this activity.

    Create a letter to the ocean
    A camera shot of a sunset over th village of Oreston

    Oreston Sunset  |  Image credit: Rob Stillwell

    Give the ocean a voice

    This is a short written or spoken activity to help you acknowledge your compassion for nature, the ocean and marine life. Through recognising our compassion, we can channel constructive action.

    The time you need will vary depending on how much you have to say. For some it could be a quick five-minute activity, for others it may take longer.

    Try giving the ocean a voice
    Bamburgh Castle as seen across Bamburgh Castle Beach. It looks like dusk, with a pale golden sky on the horizon and the colours reflecting off the water on the sand.

    Bamburgh Castle  |  Image credit: Karl Moran

    Guided meditation

    Meditation is a method of focusing the mind, and there are lots of different types and variations. This meditation will be guided, meaning there is a voice to direct you throughout. It’s suitable for complete beginners or advanced meditators.

    The guided meditation is seven minutes long. The follow-up activity could take between five and 20 minutes, depending how long you want to spend on it.

    Take time for a guided meditation
    Tenby Harbour is captured at night time. The colourful lights from the buildings around the bay are reflected in the sea

    Tenby harbour at night  |  Image credit: Beata Mitrega

    Starfish story

    Read or watch this short story and use our 10-minute reflective activity to explore how you can make a difference to the environment.

    You'll need five to 15 minutes to read the story and complete the activity, depending on how long you want to spend reflecting and constructing your ideas.

    Read the starfish story
    Purple and orange Common starfish on coral underwater

    A common starfish  |  Image credit: Mark Kirkland

    Create an ocean optimism reminder

    This activity encourages you to reflect on what connects you with the ocean, and create something to carry with you to encourage ocean optimism.

    This activity will be unique to each person, so you can spend as much or as little time on it as you like. You might want to get out into nature to find materials and inspiration, or you might prefer a shorter desk-based activity.

    Set up an ocean optimism reminder
    A shot of waves crashing into a cliff.On the cliff, 2 people can be seen.

    Waves crashing into a cliff  |  Image credit: Paul Buffington

    Watch our mindful ocean playlist on Youtube

    Watch now

    Lose yourself in the ocean

    Grey seal underwater with face close to camera and light rays coming through the surface of the water above

    Wildlife A-Z

    Meet the creatures that make UK waters so extraordinary; from the familiar faces you spot while rockpooling to the shy, elusive oddities you may never have heard of.
    A blue jellyfish swimming in clear azure blue waters in Scotland. It appears ethereal with long thread-like tendrils coming from it's white bell-shaped body. It appears to be swimming towards the surface with its bell concave towards the surface.

    Learn more about our ocean

    Our latest ocean insights and fascinating articles - from the wonders of seaweed to the difference between a seal and a sea lion.

    Get in touch with nature through the Wildling app

    Wildling is a free to download mobile app that has been specifically designed to bring more nature into our lives and helps connect us with the nature all around us.