Earth Day Canada Invites Everyone to Call in Sick with Eco-anxiety

To highlight the negative effects of climate change on mental health, Earth Day Canada is launching the 2022 campaign ‘Remedy Together.’ Created in collaboration with the creative agency Sid Lee, this campaign invites everyone with eco-anxiety* to call in sick on April 22nd. Participants are encouraged to take care of themselves and others on Earth Day, by taking action for the planet.  

“The results of the most recent polls are worrisome: 45% of Canadians are living with eco anxiety.** It’s time for everyone to equip themselves with the tools they need to heal it. We collaborated with Sid Lee to find ways to mobilise the community: a powerful remedy for eco anxiety. Given the current situation, acknowledging those feelings, coming together and taking action on April 22nd is the thing to do to take care of ourselves and the planet,” says Valérie Mallamo, CEO of Earth Day Canada.  

“Feeling powerless is one of the main symptoms of eco-anxiety. With the invitation to take a sick day, we wanted to offer an opportunity to soothe eco-anxiety with concrete actions: group therapy, going to conference, or other initiatives like participating in a clean-up. This mobilisation campaign offers a support platform and a way to transform despair into collective healing,” shares Kristian Manchester, global executive creative director at Sid Lee and member of the Earth Day Canada board. 

Take care of the planet to take care of yourself 

By registering at the following link: Call in sick for Earth Day, participants with receive a symbolic token of their eco-anxiety to share on social media. A variety of activities and initiatives are available on the Earth Day Canada website throughout April and May. 

The campaign will run until April 22nd, 2022 online and social media, across Canada, France and Brazil.  

*definition: a state of deep distress caused by perceived irreversible changes in the environment. High level of concern about current environmental issues. 

**According to a Leger survey conducted in March 2022 among a sample of 1,521 Canadian residents aged 18 and over.