Earth Overshoot Day
By Anna
@LadyDuck (457307)
Switzerland
August 8, 2016 10:24am CST
No it's not a celebration, but it's something we should know and consider. Today, August 8th humans have exhausted the nature’s budget for the whole year 2016.
What does this mean? It means that we are in debt with the earth.
We are using more resources and services than nature can generate and we are accumulating carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.
Some countries do better than others.
For example, people in Costa Rica, consume around a quarter the amount of resources per head than the United States.
Did you know about this serious problem?
It does not seem that the media have written a lot of lines about this.
39 people like this
39 responses
@TiarasOceanView (70035)
• United States
8 Aug 16
I am acutely aware of this fact Anna.
It is sad that earth has given all she can now, she is nearing the end of her giving.
4 people like this
@TiarasOceanView (70035)
• United States
9 Aug 16
@LadyDuck Such a garden of eden we had Anna and now wasted.
2 people like this
@LadyDuck (457307)
• Switzerland
10 Aug 16
@TiarasOceanView You are right, we are wasting everything natural and beautiful.
1 person likes this
@JESSY3236 (18888)
• United States
8 Aug 16
I agree, but people are in denial of it.
3 people like this
@HazySue (39264)
• Gouverneur, New York
8 Aug 16
@LadyDuck no, the media doesn't typically report about this. I think as a whole we human need to learn how to do without. It seems the more we obtain in the way of electricity, water, etc, the more we manage to waste. Before you know it we will have nothing left.
2 people like this
@crossbones27 (48395)
• Mojave, California
10 Aug 16
Thank you for writing this because if I did people would think it was more doom and gloom. I was seriously thinking about writing about this yesterday, but glad you did.People just like better perspectives and my emotions get the best of me anyway. The good news is we have hemp and can pretty much grow anywhere other than frozen. People need to learn about hemp because pretty sure that plant can save the planet as long as people slow down their breeding also to put it bluntly. See why people would have not read my post. lol
2 people like this
@crossbones27 (48395)
• Mojave, California
10 Aug 16
@LadyDuck Can I please stop being the immature one now? Nothing more immature than not thinking about this.I have been told this since I was 19 because I had a feeling which grew into a understanding. Not about me, please fix the problem and not an ego. Rolls deep to my military days.
2 people like this
@LadyDuck (457307)
• Switzerland
10 Aug 16
LOL, I suppose that people would have read your post. You are right we must learn to use all the resources, but also to slow down and be more responsible. It does not seem that humans are considering the possibility that one day, not very far from now, all our resources will be out.
2 people like this
@BelleStarr (61047)
• United States
8 Aug 16
No I have never heard about it but I guess I should look into it.
2 people like this
@crazyhorseladycx (39515)
• United States
8 Aug 16
wasteful bunch, aint we there seems to be no end'n sight sadly, though there's lots'f folks who're doin' their best to conserve, those that believe 'tis'n endless supply continue with their ways.
i didn't realize that today 'twas "the day".
2 people like this
@LadyDuck (457307)
• Switzerland
9 Aug 16
@crazyhorseladycx I would be glad to see this madness ends, but I do not see the governments doing anything to stop this.
1 person likes this
@LadyDuck (457307)
• Switzerland
9 Aug 16
Yesterday I was also looking at the figures of how much water it takes to produce products. Each cell phone needs 240 gallons of water!!! And the companies almost oblige you to change the phone every year. This is how the big ones are protecting the planet.
1 person likes this
@crazyhorseladycx (39515)
• United States
9 Aug 16
@LadyDuck seriously?? dang, i didn't know this neither :( 'tis a great shame that folks've no more thoughts 'bout mother earth 'n her treasures - how we're destroyin' ourselves 's well's all that surrounds.
i hope the madness ends 'fore 'tis too late fer many.
2 people like this
@MarshaMusselman (38618)
• Midland, Michigan
9 Aug 16
I've never heard that term before, but I know that the natural resources are being depleted quickly. I'm not sure what can be done other than telling everyone they need to begin growing their own food or something equally unavailable.
Here we keep finding better ways to use our energy. Our power company in Michigan has begun allowing people to invest in their solor exploration and the building of panels across the state to save some of the current resourses being used. All of those things take time, though, to build and incorporate into the current structure.
2 people like this
@LadyDuck (457307)
• Switzerland
9 Aug 16
@paigea This is exactly what I mean. People make you feel bad if you keep your things for years. We had a 17 years old car that was still great, but we had to change it, because of the new regulations about the pollution an so and so... it did not pollute more than the new ones, but they obliged us to change it.
1 person likes this
@Fishmomma (11377)
• United States
18 Feb 17
California is trying to make things better, as the single bags are gone from grocery stores. It was hard to get passed, as the bag companies and some of the people fought hard to stop the Prop. I worked hard to help get it passed. Now about 90% are alright with bringing bags; however, the 10% are still upset with environmentalists that wanted to make a huge change. This is one of the smart changes in my opinion, as we do some crazy things.
1 person likes this
@Fishmomma (11377)
• United States
18 Feb 17
@LadyDuck I think your making me more aware of why some of the people want California to leave the United States. We have recycling for plastic bottles, glass bottles, tin cans, paper, other plastic, batteries, oils and computers. Other areas of the United States don't work hard like my neighbors to make sure trash is lower. If it does happen I can see a lot of environmentalists moving here fast.
1 person likes this
@LadyDuck (457307)
• Switzerland
18 Feb 17
The plastic bags are already banned here in Switzerland and we are not allowed to throw anything plastic in the normal bins, we have special containers for: plastic bottles, glass bottles, tin cans, paper, other kind of plastic, batteries and used oils. We are leading the list of recycling countries with 52 percent of our waste being recycled.
1 person likes this
@LadyDuck (457307)
• Switzerland
18 Feb 17
@Fishmomma We bring back all the appliances and electronics to no matter which shop that sells them. They must take care to dispose of them. Germany and Austria are also doing a lot, I cannot say the same of Italy and Spain.
@LadyDuck (457307)
• Switzerland
9 Aug 16
@salonga Here in Switzerland they are doing a lot. We had to change all the heating systems to prevent pollution. Even if we have plenty of water, we are installing system to allow to stock the rain water for the agriculture and many other things. The government of my native country (Italy) is doing nothing, absolutely nothing.
1 person likes this
@changjiangzhibin89 (16521)
• China
9 Aug 16
Earth Overshoot Day gives us a warning.The carbon dioxide being increasingly discharged is of concern to us all.It needs concerted effort from all over the world.
1 person likes this
@changjiangzhibin89 (16521)
• China
10 Aug 16
@LadyDuck It is actually all our own doing why the climate gets worse.
1 person likes this
@LadyDuck (457307)
• Switzerland
10 Aug 16
@changjiangzhibin89 It is true, we are doing nothing to stop the process.
1 person likes this
@LadyDuck (457307)
• Switzerland
9 Aug 16
@sofssu The new generations are the ones who are wasting more. 240 gallons of water wasted for every cell phone produced, 713 gallons to produce one cotton t-shirt, one gallon of gasoline takes three-to-six gallons of water to produce, but they do not care.
2 people like this