Earth Overshoot Day happened a day earlier this year, August 1, 2024. Each year we inch further away from the end of the year.
What does this mean and what can we do?
Earth Overshoot Day marks the date when we, as a global community, have used up what the Earth can regenerate that year. After this day, we are borrowing from the future. The Global Footprint Network calculates the number of days the Earth can provide for our large amounts of consumption. After this date which is determined on June 5th, World Environment Day, it is considered a global overshoot.
(Earth’s Biocapacity / Humanity’s Ecological Footprint) x 366 = Earth Overshoot Day
Our global population’s demand is higher than the supply. The supply includes forest lands, grazing lands, cropland, fishing grounds, and built-up land.
Those of us in the United States used up our resources by March 14, 2024. The remaining 292 days of this year is on credit. Think of it like your bank account. At the beginning of the year you get a big deposit that should last you the entire year for groceries, living expenses, everything and it is gone by March 14th. What do you do the remainder of the year?
In 1974, the Earth Overshoot Day was November 30th. Not too shabby since we had already started overconsuming. Earth Overshoot Day has been in August since 2005…Let’s try to get it back to November! If we move the date 6 days each year, humanity can be out of overshoot before 2050.
What can we do?
There are big picture projects like smart cities, renewable energy, green hydrogen, and battery technology and energy storage systems or onshore wind turbines and better building designs along with microgrids.
We can also focus on things like a plant forward diet, clean cookstoves, buying secondhand clothing, land stewardship, electric bikes, lending libraries, planting trees, using LED in our homes, reuse and recycle furniture, and drive slower and less often if possible.
All of us can reduce how much we consume and waste by buying less disposable items, buying better quality items that will last generations, and reuse and repair as much as we possibly can. AND all of this saves money in the long run. Using what you already have is always the best option.
Reforesting 350 million hectares of forest would move the date of overshoot 8 days. It would also make the world a little more beautiful!
Reducing our driving and taking more public transportation or walking and biking could move Earth Overshoot Day back 13 days.
Using current technology for commercial energy efficiency for buildings and industrial processes could more the Earth Overshoot Day back 21 days and we wouldn’t even notice any loss of comfort.
Cutting food waste in half worldwide could more the Earth Overshoot Day back 13 days! Eat your leftovers and your veggies! If we also reduce global meat consumption that would add 17 more days!
There are a lot of small doable steps to help move the date. Every little step helps everyone including telling your friends and family so they know they also have the power to make positive changes! Drop a comment below on what you will do to help #MoveTheDate!
Find references and more information on OverShoot.FootprintNetwork.org
