EARTH OVERSHOOT DAY

Today humanity uses the equivalent of 1.6 earths to provide the resources we use and to absorb our waste. This means it now takes the earth one year and eight months to regenerate what we use in a year. Through overfishing, overharvesting forests, and emitting more carbon dioxide into the atmosphere than forests can handle, we use more ecological resources and services than nature can regenerate.

When do we exceed nature’s budget? Earth Overshoot Day marks the estimated date when humanity has consumed all the resources that the planet can produce over the entire 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. We are operating in overshoot.

In 2020, Earth Overshoot Day fell on August 22. So far this year, over 30 countries has already passed their Overshoot Day! www.overshootday.org/newsroom/country-overshoot-days

Calculate your footprint and get inspired to contribute! Imagine that everybody lived like you do–how many planets do you think would be needed? You can calculate your own ecological footprint and personal Overshoot Day at www.footprintcalculator.org, and learn about solutions to help us all tread more lightly on the earth. Get inspired, and find out how many days the date of Earth Overshoot Day can be moved by different actions, at www.overshootday.org/solutions.

To read about NOTE’s sustainability work, visit www.note-ems.com/en/sustainability.

Sources: www.overshootday.org www.footprintnetwork.org