We've reached Earth overshoot day, only 8 months into the year

People, we will reach world overshoot day tomorrow, August 22

And that means that humanity has exhausted nature’s budget for the year. For the rest of the year, we are maintaining our ecological deficit by drawing down local resource stocks and accumulating carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. This basically means that from tomorrow, August 22, we are operating in overshoot.

World overshoot day is here to make sure none of us ignores or overlook the serious consequences of our lifestyles on the planet, and in turn, on our societies. The day sets out with a mission to #MoveTheDate as far forward in the year as possible so that ultimately we never operate in overshoot again.

Unfortunately this year we have exhausted a year's worth of resources in just eight and a half months. This is not good enough. We cannot simply accept OK efforts when it comes to our planet. We cannot simply ignore the realities of our destruction and consumption.

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Achieve by design not disaster

COVID-19 forced us to reduce our consumption of resources, but not enough

The global pandemic has caused humanity's footprint to reduce drastically, as a result of grounded planes, reduced car travel and the general pause to our day to day lifestyles. But the only way we will be able to dramatically reduce our footprint and our thirst for the consumption of resources is through conscious efforts rather than reactive action due to disasters.

This year, according to the calculation of the Global Footprint Network, which combined the most reliable data and formed the most reasonable assumptions to assess humanity’s current resource situation, we have achieved a reduction of forest product footprint and carbon footprint from 2019. A big achievement, while food footprint remains unchanged.

The individual counts

No more pointing fingers

Humans consume the yearly resources of 1.6 Earths currently. That means that in order to keep sustaining life as we know it on our only 1 planet, drastic measures to reduce our consumption must be put in place.

While it's easy to point fingers at corporations and governments (they certainly have their share to do), the power of the individual is monumental. Are you willing to reduce your travel, your consumption of goods and products, your need for an Amazon Prime account? It is these tough questions that each and every one of us must now ask ourselves, and answer frankly. If you want to live in a planet that can accommodate us in the future, your action today is our biggest asset.

Measure your personal consumption on the Earth Overshoot Day egological footprint calculator NOW.

FairPlanet's coverage on the issue

	Reduce and Reuse: Is a plastic free world possible? by Ellen Nemitz What can't be reused, recyled or composted, simply shouldn't be made. The world needs a better industrial design compatible with the 21st century. Read

	Mauritius oil spill is an environmental disaster of epidemic proportions by Bob Koigi A catastrophe takes place off the coast of Mauritius... Read

	How a Green New Deal could change Europe by Yair Oded Across the globe, humanity is faced with mounting, concurring crises, all of which are inextricably linked: a worsening ecological collapse, a global pandemic, the erosion of democratic regimes, egregious violations of human and civil rights, and recurring economic meltdowns that wreak havoc on an increasing number of demographics. Read

	The mineral resource curse in Zimbabwe: Extractives, environmental justice and sustainable development by Nqobizitha Ndlovu Nqobizitha Ndlovu of the Zimbabwe Environmental Law Association discusses issues of resource management and human rights in Zimbabwe. Read

Mauritius oil spill

we cannot ignore the human-made disasters that impact our planet even more

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