The ecological overshoot day is an actual day in the calendar when humanity exceeds the boundaries of its annual consumption rate in relation to the Earth’s biocapacity, i. e. uses up all the available energy resources, which can be utilized without exploitation of our planet. We speak of unsustainability when a given territory (the Earth) does not meet the ecological footprint (demand) proportion and thus exceeds biocapacity (sustainability).
It is debated from when exactly do we have unsustainability, nonetheless, we may state with certainty that from the 70’s and 80’s humanity leads quite an unsustainable lifestyle. That is to say, we consume resources faster than they can be renewed.
While in 1987 we devoured available resources merely two weeks faster, in 2002 we could successfully devour all those resources before 21st October. Now, in 2012 the ecological overshoot day was 22nd August.
It’s observable that consumption rate is too fast, and we do not take into consideration that nature cannot meet our excessive needs.
Sources:
http://kornyezetbarat.hulladekboltermek.hu/hirek/1233/746804/20120814_tulloves_napja_1.htm
http://www.footprintnetwork.org/en/index.php/GFN/page/earth_overshoot_day/
http://www.greengrowthcc.com/2010/08/21/earth-overshoot-the-case-for-a-sustainable-economy/
