A very real debt we can't ignore

Debt. Nobody likes it. It becomes particularly hard to get out of debt. We all need to live within our means. In this case, we need to live within the earth's means. Today is a commemoration, but not a day of joy and celebration. Today instead should be a day of action. Today is Earth Overshoot Day.

So what's it all mean? Well, each year our planet is only able to produce a certain amount of natural resources — trees, wetlands, lakes, and such. Today we go in debt to the Earth. Yes, today is the approximate time when our consumption for the year exceeds the earth’s capacity to regenerate those resources this year. Yikes! That to me sounds pretty scary! Of course we don't run out, because we borrow from what we don't even have yet, from our future generations.  Of course if we end up borrowing too much, then they end up with nothing!  The idea of course if to consume less so that we don't exceed what the earth is capable of producing, and also to replenish by helping out our planet and cleaning up our waterways and planting trees.

When scientists first started computing this, the overshoot date was in December, but the past few years it has been in August, and it gets a little earlier every year. The still is time to do something though. There still is time to get out of debt, but we have to want to. We have to get involved. Become more aware. A good place to start is the World Wildlife Fund: http://www.worldwildlife.org/pages/overshoot-day

 

This is a very real debt we can't ignore folks.  We need to do something today and I urge you to get others involved as well.  Talk to your family, friends, and coworkers.  Write to your government officials.  Help save the earth!