You Can't Manifest Clean Air: A Critique of Toxic Positivity in Environmental Crisis

In a world choking on pollution, we're often told to "think positive" and "manifest" our way to a better reality. But the uncomfortable truth remains: no amount of positive thinking can clean our air or cool our warming planet. This essay examines why toxic positivity and manifestation culture fall dangerously short when confronting real-world environmental crises.

What Is Toxic Positivity?

Toxic positivity is the excessive focus on positive thinking while dismissing or minimizing negative emotions and experiences. It manifests as telling someone to "just think positive" or "focus on the good" when they're expressing genuine concerns. In the context of climate change, it's the "good vibes only" approach that overlooks systemic problems requiring urgent collective action.

When "Good Vibes" Meet Bad Air

When faced with rising sea levels, devastating wildfires, and polluted air, the suggestion to "manifest clean air" or "visualize a better climate" isn't just ineffective—it's harmful. Toxic positivity dismisses legitimate environmental anxiety and diverts attention from the systemic changes needed to address these crises.

The reality is that environmental problems stem from systemic failures at multiple levels of society. These issues cannot be wished away through positive thinking alone. While maintaining hope is important, it must be paired with acknowledgement of reality and concrete action.

The Dangerous Dismissal of Real Problems

When we respond to someone's climate concerns with "just look on the bright side" or "everything happens for a reason," we're engaging in toxic positivity that:

• Invalidates legitimate emotions about our planet's future

• Minimizes the real suffering caused by environmental degradation

• Places the burden on individuals rather than addressing collective responsibility

• Ignores systemic issues that require structural changes

  
  

This dismissal can lead to feelings of isolation and guilt among those genuinely concerned about environmental issues, further hampering collective action.

Beyond Manifestation: Toward Real Solutions

Environmental problems require more than positive thinking—they demand systemic change. While manifestation culture suggests we can think our way to success, climate change necessitates:

1. Acknowledging the reality and severity of environmental crises

2. Recognizing that systemic problems require systemic solutions

3. Taking concrete individual and collective action

4. Advocating for policy changes and corporate accountability

   
   
   
   

Finding Balance: Hope Without Delusion

A healthier approach balances optimism with realism. We can maintain hope for a better future while acknowledging the severity of current challenges. This balanced perspective:

• Validates eco-anxiety as a reasonable response to real threats

• Supports mental health without dismissing environmental realities

• Encourages meaningful action rather than empty positive thinking

• Builds community around shared concerns and solutions

Taking Real Action in a Real World

Instead of manifesting clean air, we can:

• Support environmental justice movements

• Reduce our carbon footprint while advocating for systemic change

• Hold corporations and governments accountable

• Join community initiatives focused on sustainability

• Vote for candidates who prioritize climate action

These actions address the root causes of environmental problems rather than simply thinking positive thoughts about them.

Conclusion: From Toxic Positivity to Transformative Action

Toxic positivity and manifestation culture offer a tempting escape from difficult realities, but they ultimately fail to address the systemic nature of environmental crises. You can't manifest clean air—but you can fight for it through informed action and advocacy.

At Ikaya Earth, we don't just manifest change—we create it. Our nature-based climate solutions transform landscapes while improving livelihoods, sequestering carbon, and restoring biodiversity. We believe in tangible action over empty promises, delivering real impact for our planet's future.