What happens if we fail to cultivate environmental identity?
Susceptibility to nature-deficit disorder
When our environmental identity is absent, the natural world is merely perceived as a mere setting in our lives. We turn to other objects to stimulate us as we are unable to detect the benefits of nature which boosts our well-being. This common downfall is a reflection of nature-deficit disorder. Nature-deficit disorder is referred to as disadvantages of one’s well-being caused by his/her alienation from natural stimuli during development. When one suffers from nature-deficit disorder, they can experience symptoms like disciplinary problems, lower achievement, lessened creativity, lesser concern for surroundings.
Higher risk of environmental degradation
People who lack environmental identity are not emotionally impacted by nature. They see little importance in being environmentally friendly, which naturally leads to their indifference towards environmental issues and conservation efforts. The effects of indifference includes:
- Engaging in actions that contribute to climate change without remorse
- Poor knowledge on environmental problems
- Refusal to take part in mitigating environmental problems (hey do not see any moral significance in it)
Ultimately, the dire state of our environment intensifies at an alarming rate. Additionally, these environmental issues are intensified by human’s limited understanding of complexity. We find difficulty in fathoming long-term effects of our actions. Coupling our indifference and our limited understanding, the future of our environment is bleaker than ever.