One More Step to Ecological Insolvency: September 23rd Is Earth Overshoot Day 2008
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 09.23.08
image: Footprint Network
Last year it was October 6th. In 2008, September 23rd is Earth Overshoot Day according to the calculations of the Global Footprint Network. That means that for the rest of the year more resources will be consumed globally than can be provided for on a sustainable basis by the Earth’s ecosystems. Basically, today is the day humanity starts running up ecological credit card debt. As the Footprint Network describes it,
Nature’s Budget is Busted
In 2008, humanity used about 40% more in one year than nature can regenerate that same year. That means it takes over a year and three months for the Earth to regenerate what humanity is using in one year. This problem — using resources faster than they can regenerate and creating waste faster than it can be absorbed — is called ecological overshoot.We currently maintain this overshoot by liquidating the planet’s natural resources. For example we can cut trees faster than they re-grow, and catch fish at a rate faster than they repopulate. While this can be done for a short while, overshoot ultimately leads to the depletion of resources on which our economy depends.
In fact, overshoot is at the root of the most pressing environmental problems we face today: climate change, declining biodiversity, shrinking forests, fisheries collapse and several of the factors contributing to soaring world food prices.
There’s Only One Earth But We’re Using 1.4 Of Them
Globally, we now now require the equivalent of 1.4 planets to support our lifestyles. But of course, we only have one Earth. The result is that our supply of natural resources -- like trees and fish -- continues to shrink, while our waste, primarily carbon dioxide, accumulates.
That 1.4 planets is for the consumption of all human beings: That ‘our lifestyles’ is not the lifestyle taken for granted in the developed world, but humanity's collective lifestyle. This graph shows how it breaks down by region:
image: Footprint Network
How Big is Your Footprint?
The first step in assessing any problem is determining its scale. In terms of your environmental footprint, you can get a quick run-down of some of the popular eco-footprint calculators over at Planet Green. From there you can begin determining what steps you can take to reduce your personal planetary impact.
For more on how the Global Footprint Network determines the exact day when the Earth goes into enviro-debt each year, visit their :: Ecological Debt Day website.
Ecological Footprint
How Lightly Are You Treading on the Planet?
Ecological Debt Day, 6 October 2007
Your Ecological Footprint: Defining, Calculating and Reducing Your Environmental Footprint
This is terrible, and the leaders of the world still sit on their hands. We today shall not suffer, but our children will have to go without.
I am angered by politicians how gamble a loosing game with the future of our children by ignoring and actively supporting the problems of our planet.
People are making large profits from the deaths of our children, and we only care about the next buck.
I see vegetarianism as a partial solution, as it would take fish and animals out of this loop.
Then we need to really kick the oil and coal addiction, not just foreign oil but oil full stop!
Those tests that claim X amount of planets are being used are nice to get people in the mode for conserving and living more sustainably but it would be nice if they didn't lie. There isn't a test out there that allows you to get 1 earth, which is somewhat disheartening for those of us who actually DO make a pretty strong effort.
I may be misunderstanding the comment, but not being able to get down to one earth does not necessarily mean the test lie. A huge amount of our footprint is embedded in how our society chooses to do things. For example, if you live in a country that chooses to illuminate streets at night, you will have a larger footprint than someone who walks home in the dark. So, no amount of vegetarianism and home-made clothing will change that. What that means, of course, is that we need to be more engaged in how the systems of our country are set up. Do we need streetlights? Do we need that new freeway? Do we even need transit, or should we be living in walkable communities? The best calculator I have seen is at zerofootprint.net You can toggle your societal impact on and off to see how much these choices affect you. My societal impact is about seven times larger than my personal impact. Fight the system.
Cybercat: That's not what they mean. The fact of the matter is that we're running the world on coal and oil. Those resources were put in the ground millions of years ago, so we're currently using resources that the earth generated a long time ago. Perhaps they mean that if we converted our oil and gas needs into timber, that's how much we're using. There's other non-renewable resources too, like copper and zinc. They're certainly coming out of the ground faster than they get put back in.
At the same time, the amount of solar energy the world gets in a year far outstrips the amount of energy we use, so I guess it all depends on what you mean by resources. But for the most part, we're not running the world on Solar, are we?