Overshoot Day is used to describe the day when we consume the resources the Earth has available for the entire year. With resources being rapidly depleted, ‘Overshoot Day’ is moving earlier each year; in 2024, it occurred on August 1. As of August 2, we have begun consuming resources for 2025. This year, we depleted our natural resources in just 8 months, and if the current consumption rate continues, we would need 1.7 Earths to meet the planet’s resource demands. This situation reflects a consumption that exceeds the planet’s budget and implies borrowing from nature for the remainder of the year. As these debts accumulate, the bill for future generations grows.
Solutions such as reducing our carbon footprint, decreasing food waste, limiting vehicle use, focusing on energy efficiency, and increasing afforestation could extend the date of Overshoot Day. For instance, cutting our ecological footprint in half could move the date by 93 days, reducing food waste, cutting vehicle use by 50%, and focusing on energy efficiency could further extend this date. Afforestation projects have the potential to move it back by 8 days. By implementing these solutions, we should work together to push Overshoot Day to December 31 each year.