Eats, Overshoots, Leaves

I like the concept of the World Overshoot Day. OK, the exact numbers are probably arguable, but the idea of living beyond our ecological means is certainly valid. And this is a good way of getting across the seriousness of our plight:

Today, humanity uses about 30% more in one year than nature can regenerate in that same year. This is called "overshoot". An ecological overshoot of 30% means that it takes one year and about three months for the Earth to regenerate what is being used by people in one year, creating an ecological deficit.

We currently maintain this overshoot by liquidating the planet’s natural resources. For example we can cut trees faster than they re-grow, and catch fish at a rate faster than they repopulate. While this can be done for a short while, overshoot ultimately leads to the depletion of resources on which our economy depends.

(Via BBC News.)