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The Global Footprint Network is today releasing data showing that it would take nearly one and a half earths to generate all the resources humanity currently consumes and absorb all our CO2 emissions. The estimate is based upon source data from 2006, the most recent year for which such data are available. This ecological overshoot means it now takes approximately 18 months for the earth to regenerate what we use in one year.
The Global Footprint Network was established in 2003 to provide metrics to address the debate over the affordability of sustainability. Policy makers often claim that addressing ecological problems must wait until the solutions are more affordable, failing to consider the costs related to depletion and destruction of the earth’s resources that result from a delay. As resources are depleted, the consequences of postponing change will impact all global citizens. Those who prepare for living in a resource constrained world will have an advantage over those who do not.
Most Americans can understand the need to invest in changing their automobile engine oil regularly to enable the car to last many years, but many have difficulty in conceiving that investment in solutions to ecological problems is necessary in order to preserve this home on which we all live. This Thanksgiving, let us give a special thanks to Mother Earth for all the blessings she has provided and commit to finding ways in our life that we can ease her burden.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Comments
The Global Footprint Network is a leftist organization and a sham. I urge everyone to investigate who they are and what they are really about, and don't take their word for it.
As always, we should take the responsiblity of doing our own research and reading and coming to our own conclusions about data that is reported. However, most of us will honestly say there are always more steps we can take personally to conserve our resources and to recycle and reuse each day. Reports like this are a reminder to us that we as Americans do use more material and energy than we should.
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