Today is the Day we Run out of Resources…Let’s Talk Earth Overshoot Day

The Earth can only produce so many resources before we deplete them all. And Today, July 24th, 2026, marks the day that we have depleted 365 days worth of resources. If the Earth allots us a certain amount of resources every year, we have already used them all in 205 days. Imagine if we couldn’t extract any more resources from the Earth until Jan 1st, 2027. We would have to go another 160 days!

So today, let’s talk about Earth Overshoot Day.

What is this day?

According to The Earth Overshoot Day Foundation, “Earth Overshoot Day marks the date when humanity’s demand for ecological resources and services in a given year exceeds what Earth can regenerate in that year. This ecological deficit spending is possible because we can liquidate stocks of ecological resources and accumulate waste, most prominently carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. As overspending can not last, overshoot will end. The question is only how: by design or disaster.”

“The event is hosted and calculated by Global Footprint Network, an international research organization that provides decision-makers with a menu of tools to help the human economy operate within Earth’s ecological limits. To determine the date of Earth Overshoot Day for each year, Global Footprint Network calculates the number of days of that year that Earth’s biocapacity suffices to provide for humanity’s Ecological Footprint. The remainder of the year corresponds to global overshoot. Earth Overshoot Day is computed by dividing the planet’s biocapacity (the amount of ecological resources Earth is able to generate that year), by humanity’s Ecological Footprint (humanity’s demand for that year), and multiplying by the number of days in a year.”

And every year, this date moves closer and closer toward the beginning of the year. In 2025, the date was July 24th. In 2024, it was August 1st. It moved an entire week. In 2023, it was Aug 2nd. 2022 was July 28th, and 2021 was July 29th, to name a few dates. It seems to have recently hovered in this week. Until 2025 and 2026.

Country Overshoot Days

Each country has its own overshoot day, too. The global overshoot day is the average. Let’s take a look at this graphic from Earth Overshoot Day. What this chart is saying is that if everyone lived as Americans lived in 2025, the EOD global average would have been March 14th. The world couldn’t even make it 3 whole months without running out of a year’s worth of resources if everyone were as wasteful as Americans. I know there are more wasteful countries, but as an American with a mostly American audience, I have to highlight this one.

But there is good news, too, and countries we can learn from! If we all lived like Hondurans, we could make EOD Nov 27th.

Is it true, though?

According to Wikipedia, “In 2017, the ecomodernist Breakthrough Institute dismissed the idea of Earth Overshoot Day. EOD does a poor job at measuring water and land mismanagement (e.g., soil erosion) and only highlights the excess of carbon dioxide that humanity releases above what the ecosystem can absorb. In other words, the additional equivalent number of Earths that humanity requires is equivalent to a land area that, if filled with carbon sinks like forests, would balance carbon dioxide emissions.”

To me, it’s like the climate clock. EOD is meant as a tool of activism to bring a shock factor to make people look. It’s hard to get people to care about climate change. So when someone sees a shocking statistic, such as the date of EOD every year, it is alarming and can lead people to act. Though it could have negative effects and paralyze others into taking NO action.

We should still heed this warning

Though it’s not a perfect prediction, it does accurately call out our overconsumption habits. We still need to make changes in our personal lives and also demand action from companies, corporations, and governments. Many climate scientists agree that every single gram of CO2 and methane we prevent from entering the atmosphere absolutely matters. Every second you don’t spend with the lights on, every single mile you prevent from driving, every ounce of carbon-heavy foods you swap for low emissions foods matter 100%.

Of course, the more access we have to walkable cities, vegan options, plastic free options, small businesses, and so forth would make it easier for us to make small changes. So demand that your government takes action by calling, writing, or emailing them. Here are my tips!

So today, heed this warning, but don’t turn it into climate doom and misinformation. Use this day to take action and inspire others to do the same.

If you want to break up with overconsumption, watch this video.

If you want to live zero waste on a budget, check out this playlist.

If you’ve never heard these words before and you’re not sure where to start, here is my guide for beginner zero-wasters.

We all have a role to play in building the future we want to see. Let’s find our role and get to work!

As always, remember that your small actions make a big difference in the long run :)

Emma