This year's 8th of August marks the Earth Overshoot Day, also known as the Ecological Debt Day. On this day we have used up all the resources that Earth produces in one year. We will so be living on a credit until the end of the year, creating an ecological debt. This debt translates into consumption of natural resource stocks, waste accumulation and environmental degradation. Our current consumption demands natural resources of 1.6 earths.
The date of the Earth Overshoot Day is obtained with a simple calculation: by dividing the world biocapacity (amount of resources produced by Earth in that year) with the world ecological footprint (amount of resources consumed by humanity in that year) and multiplying this number with days of that year. Getting the data for these calculations, on the other hand, is a more complex process. Past dates for Earth Overshoot Days may change in the future, as the methods for getting data change and are getting more accurate with each year.
Small changes could amount into greater ones. Following this motto the EOD initiative started the Pledge For The Planet campaign. By taking one (or more) of the six pledges you can try to reduce your consumption. In addition, you can help to promote the cause by sharing one of the posts designed by the initiative through your social media.