Called Earth Overshoot Day , it has fallen earlier and earlier based on historical data going back to 1970. To take a more local perspective, if everyone consumed resources at the rate of Canada, Earth Overshoot Day this year would be March 18. As a comparison, with a country like Mexico, Earth Overshoot Day would occur on Aug. 17. Wackernagel believes Earth Overshoot Day is an important part of looking at our planet and our consumption of finite resources. Over hundreds of years, human activity has reduced the sand barrens to roughly three per cent of their original size.

Source: CBC News August 27, 2020 19:52 UTC