Yesterday, August 2nd, marks Earth Overshoot Day 2017. By now we will have used more from nature than our planet can renew in the whole year. ”We use more ecological resources and services than nature can regenerate through overfishing, overharvesting forests, and emitting more carbon dioxide into the atmosphere than forests can sequester.” Overshootday
August 2nd is the earliest date yet, but we can stop and even move the day by changing our habits. For example, if we cut food waste in half worldwide, we would move Overshoot Day by 11 days. For Earth Overshoot Day this year, Global Footprint Network, along with 30+ partners, is highlighting solutions and individual pledges to #movethedate. If we managed to moved Earth Overshoot Day back 4.5 days every year starting now, we would return to living within the means of one Earth before 2050.
Calculate your global footprint here to see in what areas you need to improve.