Eco-anxiety in the workplace is on the rise.
As the world continues to grapple with the effects of climate change, more and more employees are experiencing eco-anxiety – a state of fear, worry, or tension rooted in the uncertainty of the future posed by a changing climate.
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) latest report highlights the severe risks posed by human-induced climate change, including the increasing frequency and severity of extreme weather events such as heatwaves, droughts, floods, and storms, leading to the loss of biodiversity and the extinction of species, and impacting the availability of vital resources like water and food.
These events not only threaten lives and livelihoods but also contribute to eco-anxiety and stress in affected communities.
Climate change also poses significant economic risks, with potential impacts including reduced productivity, lower economic growth, and increased costs associated with adapting to climate change impacts.
These risks affect everything from supply chains to employee wellbeing and job security and can lead to a range of negative emotions, including grief, anger, guilt, and shame, which can impact both personal and professional life.
Reducing carbon emissions is a crucial step that we all recognize needs to be taken to address the climate crisis. However, despite numerous promises and efforts over the past few decades, we as a global community have been unable to make the necessary progress so far. This challenge is particularly difficult for individuals with eco anxiety in the workplace, who may feel overwhelmed by the alarming reality that carbon emissions continue to increase.
Building Resilience
Eco-anxiety can be deemed a feeling of dread and helplessness in the face of the growing environmental crisis. This anxiety can easily spill over into the workplace, causing employees to feel overwhelmed and demotivated by the scale of the problem.
As the impact of climate change becomes increasingly apparent, it’s essential to acknowledge and address the psychological toll it takes on individuals and workplaces.
Supporting mental health and wellbeing initiatives in the workplace can help employees manage eco-anxiety, improve motivation and engagement, and build resilience in the face of a changing world.
At Sprintcrowd, we believe that taking care of the planet is just as important as taking care of employee health. That’s why we’ve created an eco-points scheme that rewards employees for their wellness efforts while contributing to the betterment of the environment.
Earn Eco-Points, Make a Difference
Sprintcrowd’s eco-points scheme was designed to motivate eco-conscious employees to participate in company health and wellness initiatives, all while contributing to a better world. Every time a user participates in a designated activity or company initiative, they earn eco points. The more eco-points collected, the greater the environmental impact.
Once a user reaches 500 points, a tree will be planted in their name by One Tree Planted. And with another 500 points, 50 kg of plastic will be cleaned from the ocean through our involvement with The Ocean Cleanup Project.
Our Eco-Partners
One Tree Planted and The Ocean Cleanup project have different goals, but share a common mission: to combat climate change and create a better world for future generations.
We chose to work with these two partners due to the fact their commitment to sustainability and innovation has earned them recognition as pioneers in the environmental protection movement.
One Tree Planted
One Tree Planted is a non-profit organization that is dedicated to reforestation efforts around the world. They work to plant trees in areas that have been impacted by deforestation, fires, and other natural disasters.
Trees play a vital role in mitigating the effects of climate change by absorbing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere through the process of photosynthesis. Since trees also release oxygen into the air, they are crucial for the survival of our planet and the survival of all living beings.
In addition to their climate benefits, trees also provide a habitat for numerous species, promote biodiversity, and help prevent soil erosion. With deforestation contributing to approximately 10% of global carbon emissions, reforestation efforts are critical for reversing the effects of climate change and promoting a healthier planet for future generations.
The Ocean Cleanup Project
The Ocean Cleanup Project is an initiative that is dedicated to removing plastic pollution from the world’s oceans and waterways. They have developed cutting-edge passive drifting systems that collect plastic waste through natural ocean currents, and mobile systems that can be deployed to areas with higher concentrations of plastic waste where they can extract and store the waste for recycling on land.
Another example is their Interceptor technology, which is designed to intercept plastic waste in rivers before it reaches the ocean. The Interceptor is a solar-powered machine that can extract up to 100,000 kg of plastic waste per day from a river, using a conveyor belt to transfer the waste to a storage container. The system has already been deployed in several rivers around the world, including in Indonesia and Malaysia, and has been successful in removing significant amounts of plastic waste from these waterways.
The Impact on Eco-Anxiety
Engaging in workplace wellness activities that also give something back to the planet can give employees a sense of purpose and meaning, so they are not just stuck feeling like there’s nothing they can do to help.
The Sprintcrowd eco-points scheme provides a positive outlet for eco-anxiety, and this can help employees redirect their negative feelings into positive ones. Physical activity and team events can also help alleviate some of the negative emotions that eco-anxiety can cause, ultimately leading to better mental health for employees.
It’s not just employees who benefit from the eco-points scheme either. Eco-friendly initiatives can boost employee morale and improve recruiting and retention efforts for organizations. By prioritizing employee wellbeing and the environment, companies can create a culture shift that leads to greater employee productivity, better mental health, and higher job satisfaction levels across the board.
A Greener Workplace
With poor mental health contributing to high absenteeism rates and low productivity in the workplace, eco-anxiety is something that employers can no longer ignore.
By providing employees with eco-points and benefits for participation in team challenges and group activities, companies can help reduce plastic pollution in the ocean and reforest. In the process, eco-anxiety can be alleviated, health can be improved, and a greener, more sustainable world can be created.
At Sprintcrowd, we’re proud to be green (in all senses). By appealing to both health-conscious and environmentally-conscious employees, we’re helping companies create a happier, healthier workforce – that cares about the planet too!
