Psychology Today | 16.07.2026 22:26
As I write this post, smoke obscures what would otherwise be a sunny day here in central New Jersey. An air quality alert marking today’s atmospheric conditions “unhealthy” is in place as smoke from Canadian wildfires blows south and east into many areas of the United States. According to the Canadian Climate Institute, “accelerating climate change, largely from the burning of fossil fuels makes wildfires bigger, hotter, and more destructive” (Canadian Climate Institute, 2026). Today’s conditions are merely one example of how the planet is changing. As these noticeable changes occur, many of us find ourselves feeling helpless and unnerved as we try to acclimate to an environment that feels increasingly different than it once did.
