Earth Overshoot Day 2024: There is Hope!

Not every country has an Overshoot Day. If everyone lived like the residents of these countries, the resources of one Earth would be sufficient. It's shocking that countries contributing the least to climate change are often the most affected. Therefore, countries with an early Overshoot Day need to take action.

It can be overwhelming, but there is hope. Individuals, but especially companies and governments, can all contribute to change. If we move the date back by 6 days each year, we can be out of the overshoot by 2050. Creative and economically feasible solutions, such as energy-efficient buildings and public transport, can be implemented on a large scale to make us more resilient.

At Ink, we are looking at what we already do and what we can still improve:

• We work 4 days a week and at least one day from home: Shorter workweeks can shift Overshoot Day by 11 days. Fewer work hours mean less commuting and energy consumption. Additionally, according to a study by Platform London, less time pressure could lead people to adopt more sustainable activities and consumption patterns, such as cooking at home instead of buying ready-made meals, walking or biking to work instead of driving, and reducing the consumption of "time-saving" products and devices.
• We encourage the use of public transport for commuting by fully reimbursing travel costs: If we globally halve car use and replace a third of car kilometers with public transport, cycling, and walking, Earth Overshoot Day could be moved by 13 days.
• Our office is furnished with second-hand furniture: Doubling the lifespan of furniture can shift Earth Overshoot Day by one day, while also promoting local jobs.

These measures are just a few of the steps we at Ink are taking, but of course, there is still a lot on our wish list. Besides working on more sustainability-related projects, we dream of one day working from a carbon-neutral building and having local, sustainable lunches.

Although businesses and governments have the greatest impact, individuals can also contribute. For example, consider this when hanging your laundry: if we reduce dryer use by 75%, we can shift Overshoot Day by 1.3 days. 💪

What is your organization doing to reduce its ecological footprint? Check out all the inspiring solutions: *Power of Possibility