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We have already spent our natural resources for this year!
Researchers are warning us all the time about being more rational when it comes to our natural resources. Unfortunately, we do not seem to understand that. According to the latest news, humanity has already used up the resources that were needed for a whole year. People are not aware of the danger that will come for the next generations if we keep on wasting our natural resources.
The study was made by Global Footprint Network, a group of researchers who are focused on sustainability. What they found out is incredible. It seems that with every year that passes, people are using more rapidly the planet’s resources. For instance, in 2014 the Earth Overshoot Day was on August 19th.
You may wonder how these people can determine the exact date, every year. Well, they are using a simple formula: the amount of natural resources available divided by how many natural resources we use up. The result is multiplied by the days in a year and this is how the researchers from the Global Footprint Network are finding out the Earth Overshoot day. Of course, every country has a different result. There are countries that use a lot of resources, such as the U.S. while there are others who use far less (Brazil, India). There are more natural resources spent in wealthy countries as the standard of living is one of the main factors regarding this matter.
What can we do if we want to save our planet? First of all, we should use more energy that comes from ecological sources such as solar panels and wind turbines. Moreover, people should try to eat less meat and reduce their paper waste. Humans are wasting water, food, and energy every day. They do not pay attention to their planet’s needs and these things will have negative effects in the near future. If the situation doesn’t change, Earth Overshoot Day could be “celebrated” in the middle of the summer in a few years.
Think about this: we are overusing our natural resources faster and faster. And this isn’t just about food or water. We are realizing more carbon dioxide and cutting down more trees. As Pascal Canfin, from the WWF green group said, we continued to grow our ecological debt. Even though we have natural resources for the moment, there is less for us to use.
Image source: Pixabay
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