Because on Thursday, humanity’s consumption exceeded the amount of natural resources that Earth can supply in a year. In 1970, the Earth Debt Day, as they call it because we continue to plunge the Earth into ecological debt, came on December 23.
Since the largest proportion of the ecological budget is being used up by the vast amount of carbon being pumped into the atmosphere, the Global Footprint Network, which estimates how much we consume, how efficiently we produce, how many people we are and how much the earth’s natural systems generate, estimates that we would need the resources produced by just over one-and-half Earths to keep up with what we will use this year.
The group calculates the day each year by dividing the planet’s annual regenerated resources, or biocapacity, by how much demand humanity is putting on those resources and then multiplying the resulting ratio by 365.
Global Footprint Network’s Dr. Mathis Wackernagel says, “Spiking food prices and diminishing water supplies worldwide, more costly and extreme weather events, and violent social conflicts such as the Syrian civil war, are direct consequences of the increasing strain we’re putting on our planet’s dwindling resources.”
The only way this ends well for us is for developed countries (FYI, the United Sates hit Earth Overshoot Day on July 14) to cut back on their overall resource consumption, switch to renewable energy sources, and recycle more. If global carbon emissions were lowered by at least 30% in the next 15 years, the planet’s overshoot day would jump nearly a month ahead, to September 16 in 2030. By contrast, business as usual would mean using the resources equivalent to two planets by 2030, with Earth Overshoot Day moving up on the calendar to the end of June.
Overshoot can also be reduced by creating or redesigning cities that are more compact; providing easy access to mass transit, walking, or cycling routes; and using advanced technologies (such as LED lights) as well as classic measures (such as insulation) to improve the energy efficiency of buildings. Eating less processed and more in-season local food puts less pressure on nature.
Since the 1990s, Denmark has cut emissions by 33%. Had the entire world done the same, Earth Overshoot Day would be on October 3 this year.
“The ATM does not let you take out more money than you put in the bank. That’s why we invented bookkeeping, to keep track of not spending more than we take in. With natural resources, you can do the same sort of accounting, and realize that while we can take out more than we put in, we can’t do it forever,” Wackernagel warns.
This Article (Ecological Overshoot: Why August 13 Was A Grim Day For Our Planet) is free and open source. You have permission to republish this article under a Creative Commons license with attribution to the author and AnonHQ.com.
funny.. i told my ppl for over 2 yrs ago, that we HAVE to find alternative solutions for our consumption, and if we keep aimed for 100% clean energy and kept inevested in green energy, Denmark would be a role model. but they always comes up with business and reality. the question isn’t about business, but our homes… i keep saying, we have to invest in green and free energy, think about what we eat and save energy for either ourselves and our planet, or we can sell it to Sweden and Norway, which we have done. they don’t see how critical it is and our planet as our home, so ecology and green energy are still not their first priority. we have to change our way. Denmark and Germany along with Kenya(probably more countries) are on the track and have to be the ones who show the world the way of a cleaner environment and life. great post and i’ll use this to show them, that we CAN make a difference and it is THE ONLY way! we had all the fun, now we have to make it up again. thank you so much!
It doesn’t help us at all that there are still tons of idiots out there that insist that environmentalism is all a hoax and are lobbying for higher rates of production still. Real change is going to be hard to accomplish until we somehow get those people to realize that it’s serious and not some government scheme, money making hoax, or whatever nonsense they say is the real reason for people trying to be environmentally aware.
true. we still have to open their eyes no matter if the truth will burn their eyes or heart. our heart should pump together with the earth’s heart, but all we think of are materiel shit and business. every time you talk about something that MAY cost a bit more or demands a bit more power to establish a system, that will benefit both humans and nature!i must admit, we have a a party in our parliament in Denmark, actually do believe in the exact same belief and ideas as Anonymous. free flow of knowledge(information), green energy, freedom to choose and they AIM for 100 % ecology, and like the party(alternative) said “it’s an idea and can always be changed by the ppl, but we have to start with an IDEA” and when the politicians throw shit, the party’s leader ask politicians to debate politics and help each other, instead of hurt each other.
so yes, we need more ppl to wake up, but if “we” need a leader, then the government have to come with the ideas just like Ron Paul. ppl are way to much brainwashed to imagine it themselves and fear the future, so they seek comfort.
personally i have never seen the idea with leaders, other than we are our own leaders and no one have to lead you thru the life, you just have to remember responsibility and karma. humans don’t need leaders, they need guidance and knowledge and they will be able to govern themselves. only fear keep them back
“…there are still tons of idiots out there that insist that environmentalism is all a hoax and are lobbying for higher rates of production still…”
The government of India, for example (representing roughly a billion people); and the government of China (about another billion people).
It appears that humans may have “jumped the shark”. The die-back should be pretty spectacular.
HA!! You should see how people spend their groceries per day. I work in an online store where the people order foods online and we get to pick for them you know how much they spend and how many they returned??? Even in restaurants they order this and that, yet they didn’t finish their foods that they ordered. Well I told them “Why are you wasting food?” and they replied to me why are you so concerned I can spend as much as I want.. (Arrogantly)