{"id":51992,"date":"2026-06-15T01:07:51","date_gmt":"2026-06-15T06:07:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/nelson.wisc.edu\/the-commons\/?p=51992"},"modified":"2026-06-15T07:25:21","modified_gmt":"2026-06-15T12:25:21","slug":"learning-without-burning-out-emotionally-informed-environmental-education","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/nelson.wisc.edu\/the-commons\/learning-without-burning-out-emotionally-informed-environmental-education\/","title":{"rendered":"Learning Without Burning Out"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

\u201cUsing business-as-usual models, calculate when the world might end.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This was a real assignment for an environmentally focused undergraduate course at a prestigious U.S. university. The students came to class, discussed their findings, and agreed on a timeline for the world\u2019s demise. Then, class dismissed<\/em>. The professor, a top research scientist in their field, held no space to discuss the emotional ramifications of their apocalyptic exercise. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

When they left class, students reported feelings of fear, unease, and shock by the lack of care the professor demonstrated for student well-being under the perception of an existentially threatening subject. Experiences like these are not uncommon. As a postdoctoral fellow, I research the intersection of climate change and mental health. I have witnessed numerous effects of learning about the climate crisis while also living through it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n