Each year has a day when we overshoot the amount of resources that can be regenerated by our planet in a year, this is known as Earth Overshoot Day. This year the date fell on the 28th of July.
We are only halfway through the year, and we have already reached our planet’s limit, this is due to our overuse of finite resources. In 1971, this day fell on the 25th of December, almost the end of the year and five months away from our date now.
This date is calculated by the Global Footprint Network, who have concluded that we need the equivalent of 1.75 Earths to keep up with our demands.
The organisation calculates the exact date by measuring the planet’s biocapacity and ecological footprint. Biocapacity is Earth’s biological ability to regenerate, and the ecological footprint is our need and demand for resources.
The Global Footprint Network has also calculated each countries individual Earth Overshoot Day with Qatar having depleted its year’s supply on the 10th of February. Jamaica, however, is using up their resources at a slower rate as they will not deplete their year’s resources until the 20th of December.
The UK has also used up this year’s resources and within only five months, as our Earth Overshoot Day occurred on the 19th of May.
If we cut waste, turn to renewable energy, lower the amount of cars on the road and move towards more sustainable ways to travel, there is the potential to push this date back.
