Earth Overshoot Day
Earth Overshoot Day falls on August 22 this year. First of all great - almost a month later than last year. But wait... August?! That's four months until the end of the year!
SHOOTING MOTHER EARTH
The so-called Earth Overshoot Day marks the day when humanity has used up its annual resource budget. So that should actually be the end of the year - it was last like that in 1970. Since then our population has grown enormously: more and more people who want more and more and are less and less considerate. That's why we're already reaching Overshoot Day in mid-August this year - and are therefore in the red from now on. But what does this resource budget actually mean? It describes the amount of resources that the earth can replenish . Anything beyond that is too much and we are taking away not only from our planet but also from the generations after us. Specifically, we are consuming 60% too much at the moment and actually need 1.6 earths to live. Ergo? Let's move the date!
#MOVETHEDATE: WE DID IT!
In fact, Overshoot Day is almost a month later this year than last year. And not because we all understood that we have to act and change something, but simply because of the corona pandemic and the cuts that come with it: reduction, deceleration and #stayhome . Because people traveled less, flew less, consumed and produced less, humanity was able to reduce its ecological footprint by 9.3% compared to 2019 . The global fight against Covid-19 has not only shown how much we all must and can pull together, but also that a trend reversal in resource consumption is possible. We have all seen that governments are able to react quickly when human life is at stake. We have all seen that we must find global solutions together and that when we protect others we also protect ourselves and vice versa. Also means: We all live together on this beautiful planet and if we harm it and its inhabitants, we harm ourselves. It is impressive how much we can come together as people when it comes to the fight against Covid-19 and we have a common goal. And everyone like this: wait a minute! What common goal could be more important than saving our planet – our living space?
IT'S POSSIBLE: KEEP THAT IN MIND
If the last few weeks have shown anything, it's that we can postpone Overshoot Day, conserve resources, step back and be considerate. When the pandemic is over and everything starts again, we should remember exactly! Like many others, Laurel Hanscom, CEO of the Global Footprint Network, urges us to return to our everyday lives: “If we put sustainability at the center of our recovery efforts , we have the potential to rebalance people with each other and with the earth .”
STEPS TO #MOVETHEDATE
Bringing the Overshoot Day back to the end of the year and allowing our earth to regenerate - a task that starts with each individual. Travel, nutrition, energy consumption, water consumption... Many to-dos, but also many solutions.
At STOP THE WATER WHILE USING ME! rely on saving water, on natural, refillable and biodegradable products, on climate-neutral , plastic-free alternatives such as our Waterless care series , on reduction and sustainability... and on you: Move the date!