Considerations for Shopping, Overconsumption and the Imminent Buying Season
August 1st marked Earth Overshoot Day 2024, meaning that in just seven months, we have consumed all the resources the planet can regenerate in a year. What does this mean for the fashion industry and our lifestyle?
The fashion industry is characterised by overproduction and excessive shopping. While brands aggressively promote overconsumption, consumers are often caught up in the desire to buy more, driven by frivolous thoughts. Only a few people consider deeper, more sustainable practices. As we enter the eighth month of the year, we have already used up the natural resources the Earth can regenerate annually. This means that from now until December 31st, we will be depleting resources that the Earth cannot naturally replenish.
Overshoot Day: Understanding calculation and global impact
Overshoot Day is calculated by determining the number of days Earth’s resources can sustain humanity’s ecological footprint. In simpler terms, we take the planet’s biocapacity – the amount of ecological resources the Earth can generate in a year – and divide it by our annual ecological footprint – the amount of natural resources humans consume in a year. This result is then multiplied by the 365 days of the year.
The ecological footprint varies by country because each nation has different amounts of resources and uses them in various ways, such as land for agriculture, water reserves, electricity, and marine areas. Therefore, each country has its own Overshoot Day.
This year, the first country to exceed its ecological capacity was Qatar (February 11), followed by Luxembourg, the United Arab Emirates, and the United States. Italy wasn’t far behind, reaching its Overshoot Day on May 19. The last countries to exceed their ecological capacity this year will be Indonesia and Ecuador on November 24, 2024.
Conclusion: Earth Overshoot Day & Fashion
Given that in just seven months we have already consumed the natural resources the Earth can generate in a year, it begs the question: are sustainable brands planning to stop their production? On what basis can we begin the buying season for fashion stores? And how can people continue to consume, travel, and live excessively while ignoring this fundamental fact?
What the heck are we doing? Perhaps, a true understanding of it should make us stop everything and pause. It should compel us to reconsider not only the fashion industry but our lifestyle as a whole.
But you can sleep well; no one will move a finger.