H_ope

Zeitgeist The Movement

1.4 planets to support our lifestyle? where's 0.4??

“If all humans would live like we in Europe, we would need almost 3 planets; and would all humans live like the ones in the USA, we would even need five planets.“
Mathis Wackernagel, Founder of the Global Footprint Network

23rd September marked an unfortunate milestone: from that day humanity has used all the resources nature will generate this year, according to Global Footprint Network data. Earth Overshoot Day marks the day when humanity begins living beyond its ecological means. Beyond that day, we move into the ecological equivalent of deficit spending, utilizing resources at a rate faster than what the planet can regenerate in a calendar year.
Globally, we now require the equivalent of 1.4 planets to support our lifestyles. But of course, we only have one Earth. The result is that our supply of natural resources -- like trees and fish -- continues to shrink, while our waste, primarily carbon dioxide, accumulates.
Humanity first went into overshoot in 1986; before that time the global community consumed resources and produced carbon dioxide at a rate consistent with what the planet could produce and reabsorb. By 1996, however, humanity was using 15 percent more resources in a year than the planet could supply, with Earth Overshoot Day falling in November. This year, more than two decades since we first went into overshoot, because we are now demanding resources at a rate of 40 percent faster than the planet can produce them, Earth Overshoot Day has moved forward to 23rd September.

A September, we shouldn’t only remember because of the breakdown of the global financial system. You will however not read anything about this in our newsletter. But as always, inspiring information about us and Gaia, also with view to a reduced human ecological footprint, and to a fairer world economic order.

Cordially from autumnal Basel
Dieter A. Hagenbach