According to the environmental groups of the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) and the Global Footprint Network , at the beginning of August the Earth has already reached the limit of exploitation of its natural resources for the rest of the year 2017. The date, that this year is earlier than 2016, it means that humanity will survive “on credit” until December 31st.
“By August 2, 2017, we will have used more of nature than our planet can renew throughout the year,” the groups said in a statement.
This means that in seven months we emit more carbon than the oceans and forests can absorb in a year , we catch more fish, we cut down more trees, we harvest more and we consume more water than the Earth could produce in the same period. According to activists, it would take the equivalent of 1.7 planets to produce enough natural resources to match our consumption rates and a growing population.
To help reverse the trend, activists and charities advise eating less meat, burning less fuel, and reducing food waste.
According to the Global Footprint Network, food constitutes 26% of our global ecological footprint and if we cut food waste in half, consume less high-protein foods and introduce more fruits and vegetables into our diet, we could reduce it to 16%.
On the other hand, our carbon footprint has the greatest impact, 60% . It would take the equivalent of 1.7 planets to produce enough to meet humanity’s needs at current consumption rates.
The Earth’s resource limit has been in the works since 1986, arriving earlier each year. In 1993, it occurred on October 21. In 2003, on September 22 and in 2015, on August 13.
Greenhouse gas emissions caused by burning coal, oil and gas represent 60% of humanity’s ecological footprint on the planet.
However, we are still on time. People can help stop, and eventually reverse, the trend by eating less meat, burning less fuel, and reducing food waste.
