Sustainable consumption - Overshoot Day
Ecological Footprint and Earth Overshoot day 1 cr
Juhani Kettunen, Laurea UAS
This Power Point set for Overshoot Day – Assignment includes
1. Defnition of Sustainable Consumption and basic terms related to Ecological Footprint and Earth Bio-capacity.
2. Set of questions for an (online) assignment.
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Definition of sustainable consumption
The use of services and related products which
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correspond to basic needs and bring a better quality of life
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while minimising the use of natural resources and toxic materials
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as well as emissions of waste and pollutants over the lifecycle
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of the service or product so as not to jeopardize
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the needs of future generations.
Ecological Footprint
measures the amount of biologically productive land and sea area required to provide for the demand of
population, including the the areas for growing the food, fber, and timber they consume, the space they occupy with their houses and roads, the area needed to sequesters the carbon dioxide from burning fossil fuel.
Source and additional information: https://www.overshootday.org
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Biocapacity
• is the biologically productive area that provides renewable biological capacity including the replenishment of resources and the
absorption of waste such as carbon dioxide from burning fossil fuel
• Source and additional information https://www.overshootday.org
Ecological overshoot
• occurs when human demand exceeds the regenerative
capacity of a natural ecosystem. Global overshoot occurs when humanity demands more than what the biosphere can renew.
In other words, when humanity’s Ecological Footprint exceeds what the planet can regenerate.
• Source and additional information https://www.overshootday.org
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Earth Overshoot Day
• marks the date when humanity’s demand for ecological resources (fsh and forests, for instance) and services in a given year exceeds what Earth can regenerate in that year. We maintain this defcit by liquidating stocks of resources and accumulating waste, primarily carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Andrew Simms originally
conceived the concept of Earth Overshoot Day while working at the UK think tank New Economics Foundation
• Source and additional information https://www.overshootday.org
Global hectares
• are hectares of biologically productive land and sea area with world average bioproductivity. Both biocapacity and the Ecological Footprint are measured in global hectares. (A hectare contains 10,000 square meters and corresponds to about 2.47 acres.)
• Source and additional information https://www.overshootday.org
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Learning Objectives for Overshoot Day Assignment
• Students will learn the basic terms related to the Ecological Footprint, Bio-capacity and the World Overshoot Day.
• Students will study the current situation and the factors that have driven the world development in it.
• In the end the students will study the means to ease the pressure on Mother Earth and the means to postpone the Overshoot Day.
Study assignment
• This assignment is intended to introduce the student to the topic of sustainability and overconsumption.
• Suggested assessment: Pass/failed
• Ask students to respond to the following questions individually in writing.
• The assignment can be utilised as basis for classroom / virtual discussion session.
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1. Living Planet Report
Study the Living Planet Report.
• What is meant by the Ecological Footprint?
• What are the six area types that are tracked in the Ecological Footprint?
• How much is the average Ecological Footprint per person in the world? How much is it in your country?
• Additional information https://livingplanet.panda.org/
• What is meant by the Great Acceleration?
• What comes to your mind when you compare the socio- Economic Trends with the Earth System Trends?
• When did the explosion of growth start according to these trends?
• Additional information
https://livingplanet.panda.org/kiertotalousamk.f
2. Great Acceleration
3. Supply Side
On the Supply side there is the World Bio-capacity.
• What is meant by that term?
• How many hectares is the World Bio-capacity?
• How much is it per person?
• Additional information https://livingplanet.panda.org/
4. Overshoot
Global overshoot occurs when humanity demands more than what the biosphere can supply. In other words, when humanity’s Ecological Footprint exceeds what the planet can regenerate.
• When is that date globally and in your country?
• Additional information https
://www.overshootday.org/about/
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5. Solutions
There are fve key areas that defne our long-term trends in exploiting the world's fnite resources.
• Please give two sustainable examples of each one (ten altogether) that we could (in the society) do to move the Overshoot Date.
• Additional information
6. Economic Models
Our ecnomic models are based on growth, rarely taking resource limitations into account.
• Do you think this simplifcation is still valid or do we need new types of economic models? Explain.
• Additional information
https://www.sitra.f/en/topics/a-circular-economy/
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7. The Challenge
Everyday decisions are the driving force for change.
• What could you do as an individual and as a future decision maker to change the path more sustainable in the future?
• Give at least one idea per each key area mentioned
earlier (5. Solutions).
Sources used (Accessed 21 Septemner 2020)
Overshoot Day
https://www.overshootday.org Living Planet Report
https://livingplanet.panda.org/
Solutions
https://www.overshootday.org/solutions/
Circular Economy
https://www.sitra.f/en/topics/a-circular-economy/
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