This morning, on World Environment Day we found out that Earth Overshoot Day this year lands on August 22nd. If you haven’t heard of this important date before: it marks the date when humanity’s demand for ecological resources and services in a given year exceeds what Mother Earth can regenerate in that year. If you are familiar with this yearly wake-up call, like us, you're probably a tad suprised.
The date this year comes as somewhat of a surprise to us as the date had been slowly creeping forward for years. After last year’s date of July 29th, we were now preparing for an Earth Overshoot Day of July 28th or maybe even 27th. The last time it fell on August 22nd, it was 2012!
So what happened? With the past few months of Covid-19 impacting the world’s daily activities, it has demonstrated that changing resource consumption in a matter of months is in fact possible if we all commit to changing our lifestyle.
However, in the words of The Global Footprint Network who calculates those overshoot days every year:
In a world constantly struggling under the weight of the way we as humans live our lives, it is important to take today to think about your own impact on the planet.
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So we’re curious: in the past year, what are the small or large changes you have made in your life to listen to the planet and its inhabitants? How are you helping to move the date? Did you perhaps switch to a vegan diet this last year? Did you maybe start buying less clothes, more sustainable garments or even building a capsule wardrobe? Attend climate marches? Purchase that reusable coffee-to-go cup?
Big or small, we hope that everyone can reflect on how they can celebrate and respect the environment in their daily lives ?? Let us know in the comments on today's Instagram or Facebook post!
For us Dutchies, it was already two whole months ago: May 3rd shockingly marked the day we started living on our reserves again. What's it like where you live?