Last Monday marked a pity event: Earth’s population reached so-called ‘Earth Overshoot Day’. This is the moment when our demand for natural resources exceeds the regenerative capacities of the planet who replenish them. In a way, we are now biting into our planet’s savings account for the rest of the year. With the current population and its living standard, we actually need 1.6 planets to support us.
But not all countries are to blame. Living like an Aussie or a Congolese is a whole world of difference. Some countries also just happen to be lucky with a wealth of natural resources. One thing is very clear though: everyone should take a moment to (re-) consider their lifestyle. At the current rate, it goes into the wrong direction. Totally the wrong direction. To understand the concept of Earth Overshoot Day a bit better, I spent a decent amount of hours putting together a nice infographic (what else would I have done on a rainy Belgian summer day, you know). Enjoy, and please share if you like it!