Something I learned recently about .. Earth Overshoot day

So, what on earth is Earth's Overshoot day?

Here's how Fortune explains it:

"For the past 50 years, we’ve been in an ecological debt cycle. We routinely “spend” more than nature provides us on an annual basis. How do we know this? The?Global Footprint Network?draws an annual calculation: “Earth Overshoot Day is computed by dividing the planet’s biocapacity (the amount of ecological resources Earth is able to generate that year) by humanity’s Ecological Footprint (humanity’s demand for that year), and multiplying by 365, the number of days in a year.”

This year, earth’s rent is due today, August 2nd.

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I know you probably need to read this paragraph twice to sink in.. but please let it sink in... and then let's do our part, and let's demand large corporations do their part, and demand our governments to deliver on their climate promises.

It simply means that we're living beyond our means, we are exploiting available resources two generations worth of, no wonder our teenage kids are so angry all the time!

Do this assessment to check your own footprint (directionally of course):

?I was so shocked with how big my family's footprint is, as I thought of myself as reasonably aware and mindful, smog about enough that I occasionally wear the "I am a tree hugger" t-shirt. I replaced my car with an EV a month ago and looking to downsize into a smaller place in the not so distant future. I am putting this here as a commitment device ;) --> more on commitment devices in another post.

A few more data points from Bill Gates book "How to avoid a climate disaster":

• Bill Gates argues that the ONLY path forward is NetZero, not reducing our carbon emissions a bit, doing tweaks here and there and hope for the best.. Not, it has to be NetZero. I don't really want to go through the why on this in this post.. Here's Gates' own summary: https://t.co/3X4ihy9hMf

I am sharing this to give the sense of urgency the book and many sources are imploring us to have on the climate issue, a bit more than getting irritated with the drier, hotter, wetter, and cooler weather combos we're getting all over the world.

• Numbers are your friend:

51 billion tons of GHG (Green House Gas) to eliminate every year is what is needed for net zero. Hence, when an organization or a government makes a big announcement on their plans to slash GHG, would be good to put their number into the context of the 51 billion tons we need to eliminate every year to see if it's a meaningful target for this organization, or not.

Of all sources of emissions:

• Plastic about 25%
• Transportation accounts for 16% (half is cars)
• Electricity: 27%
• Plants and animals: 19%
• Heating/cooling/refrigeration: 7%

And somehow in this equation there is also cement and steel making up 10% of all emissions.

So, what does this mean? That EVERYONE has a role to play to get to NetZero, manufacturing, farmers, transportation, utilities to name a few, plus the right government policies that are actually implementable, banking offering sustainable financing, and you and me of course making better choices.

P.S. For the folks who do sustainability research/solutioning for a living, feel free to correct me and clarify. I am just sharing my humble learnings here and open to learn more. ?