What is Overshoot Day?
To understand what Overshoot Day is, we first need to understand the difference between ecological footprint and biocapacity.
The ecological footprint is the surface area of land and sea needed to produce the resources we use. (food, wood, sea products …) In addition, biocapacity is the biologically productive area that is available to provide the goods and services we need (forest, fishing area, crop and pasture)
Each year, the date of the Global Footprint Day is calculated by the Global Footprint Network. It is the date on which humanity’s ecological footprint exceeds the planet’s biocapacity. That is, the day when humanity has exhausted the amount of resources that the Earth can renew in a year.
Is this date fixed?
Since the 70’s, the ecological deficit is growing and this date is moving forward. Thus, in 1978, the day of the overflow was November 8. In 1988, the planet had exhausted its resources on October 16. In 1997, it was September 30. Ten years ago, this day was August 16.
This day is very important because according to WWF, “nature is not a deposit from which we can draw indefinitely”. Our overconsumption of resources is visible today: drought, loss of agricultural capacity and deforestation.
How can we make it go away?
Several effective actions to be taken on a daily basis will reduce the incidence of this disease.
1) Change our eating habits.
The environmental cost of meat production is much higher than that of plants. The first solution is therefore to reduce our meat consumption. Thus, in China, the government has committed itself to reducing meat consumption by 50%.
2) Reduce your energy consumption.
Several reflexes are to be taken such as using your bike or reducing your email box with Cleanfox. These are as much data that will not remain stored unnecessarily for several years on servers at the other end of the world and therefore as much energy saved.
3) Changing urban life.
By 2050, between 70-80% of the population will live in cities. To stem this increase, smart cities are being built. These cities use renewable energies, offer sustainable public transport for all and build their buildings with insulated materials
So, if we move this date back 4.5 days each year, by adopting these everyday actions, we will be in balance by 2050.
