The Shaping of Generational Identity through Environmental Decisions: Environmentalism, Social Agency, and Mental Health in Intergenerational Conflict

This paper explores the impact of environmental decisions on the formation of generational identity, seeking to examine the intersectionality of environmentalism, social agency, and mental health within the context of intergenerational conflict. By cross-examining generations from the 1940's “Baby Boomers” to Generation Z also known as the “Tech-Gen”, and their approach to environmentalism, depicting the role of activism and environmentalism in shaping identity. Deeper understanding of intergenerational conflict is sought by further analyzing the attempts and executions of social agency between generations, specifically in the discussion of economics and climate justice. This further explores the rise of environmental anxiety among younger generations and how the resulting mental health issues play a part in the management of human social-ecosystems. This paper calls to identify chances for intergenerational cooperation, share narratives on mental health and environmentalism, and address the psychological strain of such crises.