Every year Overshoot day arrives earlier
Every year, Overshoot day arrives, on average, earlier and earlier. In 2022 it fell on 28 July, just before this year’s date, but in 2020 it was on 22 August, in 2000 it was on 17 September, and if we go back as far as 1980 we reach 16 November (source: https://www.overshootday.org/newsroom/past-earth-overshoot-days/).
Climate change is one of the main causes of this phenomenon. Human activities, such as the extraction of natural resources and the emission of greenhouse gases, are accelerating this process. The result? An increase in the demand for resources and a decrease in the “supply” provided by the Earth’s resources.
How can we gain days?
We can gain precious days for our planet by changing our habits and making them more eco-friendly. Every small gesture counts, such as reducing the use of plastic, saving energy and water at home, reducing food waste, dressing more sustainably, using eco-friendly transport, and so on.
For example, we can start by avoiding plastic, using water bottles and reusable utensils, cycling more where possible, not buying from big chains famous for their enormous consumption, turning the heating down a little in winter, turning off the water while showering and brushing our teeth, keeping the water used to wash vegetables to water the plants, and other small precautions that can add a small piece to the effort to counter rising consumption.
Being careful about our diet can also make a difference, such as avoiding meat and derivatives from intensive farming, avoiding wasting too much water when cooking food, and making more sustainable choices such as eating seasonal, zero-mileage fruit and vegetables, for example.
Food waste in Western countries is alarming
Food waste in Western countries is an alarming problem that contributes significantly to the exploitation of the planet’s resources. Every day, tonnes of perfectly edible food are thrown in the bin, while millions of people around the world go hungry.
This waste not only harms our environment, but also has social and economic consequences. The precious resources used to produce this food – water, land and energy – are wasted along with the opportunity to provide nourishment to those who need it.
A conscious approach to food consumption can make a great difference in reducing waste. We can start by making small changes to our daily habits: planning meals in advance, buying only what we need and storing leftovers properly.
Public and private institutions can adopt stricter policies to prevent food waste. Supermarkets and restaurants could donate surplus food to charities or implement strategies to reduce leftovers.
The planet’s resources are not enough to sustain this lifestyle
This is a fact that we can no longer ignore. For years we have given priority to our own well-being and to ever more voracious economic development, selfishness that is proving self-destructive for all of us and for those who will come after us. We did not see the change all this was causing until it became obvious, for several reasons, certainly, but now it is time to adopt solutions.
Climate change is now talked about every day, along with how it is leading us towards extinction, but it is as if this news had become so commonplace that it makes us impervious to it, perhaps through ignorance, perhaps through denial. Today let us try to reflect on this and look for solutions, whether personal, corporate or governmental, rather than merely complaining.
source: https://www.overshootday.org/newsroom/past-earth-overshoot-days
