I have been wanting to write about this subject for quite a long time. I have decided a short blog is the best way to introduce this concept. It is simple and effective and I hope it helps more people engage in environmental actions and behaviours.

I work as a therapist, consultant and researcher and I have a PhD in Politics. My thesis explored the link between mental health and nature experiences and it considered how the climate and ecological crisis impacted this relationship.

Not surprisingly, I found that in the time of climate breakdown those with the deepest love for the natural world will suffer most. They are more susceptible to climate anxiety, ecological grief and pre-traumatic stress. I also found that the most effective way to counter this distress is to engage in activism and pro-environmental actions. This is where the ‘good enough’ concept becomes relevant.

To be ‘good enough’ is to release the soul destroying and unrealistic bid to be perfect at something. David Winnicott was the theorist that developed the concept of being a ‘good enough mother’ as a way to consider mothering through a lens of humanness rather than inadequacy. It supported the premise that the bid for perfection can be debilitating, paralysing and destructive to healthy bonds, relationships and development.

I believe the concept of being good enough should also be applied to environmentalism and all those who want things to improve.

The environmental movement is often believed to have begun around the same time as the moon landings. Books such as Silent Spring were seminal texts that introduced the concept of contamination, pollutions and environmental issues that humans created.

The movement began decades ago, but in recent years the climate crisis has been established as the most pressing and urgent concern. The root causes of this crisis relates to the burning of fossil fuels, rapid industrialisation, over-population, unsustainable consumerism and a lack of respect for the non-human world.

Did I mention greed?

This climate and ecological crisis has been created by humans and can be countered by humans taking action to try reverse and alleviate the damage already done. That is why we need to act and we need to let go of the notion, we all need to do it perfectly. We need to engage, rather than look away and that means engaging in environmentalism, in whatever ways we can. Not as perfect environmentalists, but as ‘good enough’ ones.

I believe any ‘enough environmentalist’ will do what they can from where they are at. The will shop local as much as possible. They may engage in shopping for charity shop chic (see my most recent purchases), rather than supporting fast fashion. They could go vegetarian for several days a week and ditch meat completely or regularly. They will promote natural, ethical, ecological and sustainable whenever possible. They will love life and respect the world around them, locally and globally. They will care.

I believe that when we strive for perfection, we are doing ourselves and the world an injustice. Because we are not here to be perfect, we are here to be human and that is what makes us different to other species and to AI, our humanness. That means to be imperfect, but also to strive to improve, develop and evolve.

Be good enough and be it now.