We've overshot

Today, 24th July, is Earth Overshoot Day 2025.

Earth Overshoot Day is the day in the year when humanity's demand on nature that year exceeds what the Earth can regenerate or replace in that year. The figures are recalculated each year to make sure we are comparing like with like. In 1971 Earth Overshoot Day was on December 29th, this year it is July 24th.

Why is it happening?
There are lots of reasons why humanity is consuming too much, but here are a just a few:

• People are emitting more CO than the biosphere can absorb.
• We are using more freshwater than is replenished.
• We are harvesting more trees than can regrow
• And we are fishing more than the stocks can replenish.

What does it mean?
The precise date is less important than the amount we are overshooting year by year. We are currently using nature 1.8 times faster than Earths ecosystems can regenerate. You know that spending 1.8 times more than you have leads to problems, and so it is with the earth's resources.

So What?
The majority of the Global North is relatively affluent, so you may not really be noticing much of a problem.
You've probably heard plenty about biodiversity loss, deforestation, and the buildup of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere which intensifies extreme weather events. But if we carry on like this it will lead tofood and energy insecurity, health crises, and potential conflict.

You can do something
How can you commit to do your bit and consume less?
Can you walk short distances instead of taking the car?
What about flying less, both shorter distances and less often?
Or maybe eat a little less meat, perhaps going meat-free for one or two meals a week.

In the words of the famous supermarket 'Every little helps' so what will your contribution be?