U.S. presidential candidate Dave Gardner is determined to alert us that ecological overshoot is a profound emergency threatening to leave our children a dead planet. So it’s critical that everyone understand what ecological overshoot is. William E. Rees, the originator of ecological footprint analysis, provides a primer for the uninitiated – plus some advanced thinking for those already well aware of the metacrisis.

We’re exploring the topic now, since Earth Overshoot Day happens this week – on August 1.

Rees developed the concept of ecological footprint pre-1990, but in 1995, he and one of his doctoral students at University of British Columbia, Mathis Wackernagel, published the definitive book, Our Ecological Footprint: Reducing Human Impact on the Earth, introducing the concept to the world. Wackernagel went on to found Global Footprint Network, which collects and analyzes data to provide the best estimates of biocapacity and ecological footprint on a nation-by-nation basis.

The conversation digs into how long we’ve been in overshoot, the symptoms and consequences, and what is necessary in order to get out of overshoot and back into balance with nature. There are significant hurdles impeding our progress.

Rees is human ecologist, ecological economist, Professor Emeritus and former Director of the University of British Columbia’s School of Community and Regional Planning.

Dave Gardner promises to declare an ecological overshoot emergency and launch a national project to get the U.S. out of overshoot and lead the world in a global effort. Learn more about that national project at https://brightfutureproject.us

Some Recommended Resources, Viewing and Reading:

Earth Overshoot Day – official site

https://overshoot.footprintnetwork.org/

National Footprint and Biocapacity Accounts - Global Footprint Network Data

https://data.footprintnetwork.org

On Being a Snowflake in an Avalanche: The Catastrophe of Overshoot and How to Cope – by William E. Rees

https://www.resilience.org/stories/2024-07-11/on-being-a-snowflake-in-an-avalanche-the-catastrophe-of-overshoot-and-how-to-cope/

Earth Overshoot Day 2018 - YouTube video by Dave Gardner

https://youtu.be/Kfooegpo-Rg?si=2ZLJhtW21bk675OG

Spaceship Earth Passenger Safety Briefing – short film by Dave Gardner

http://youtu.be/e5s1i7vTSXk

GrowthBusters Playlist on Spotify

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0sOpYgT6oaJnDYIodhEHgy?si=3cf841e2dde745c5

Overshoot Playlist: Top 10 Environmental Songs – Episode 30 of GrowthBusters podcast

https://www.growthbusters.org/overshoot-playlist-top-10-environmental-songs/

YouTube playlist of Top 10

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLn8soDpwHB3HSuETzzb8ZC_ylk9g1tiGO

Top 10 podcast with complete songs