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#movethedate of Earth Overshoot Day

Company News Monday, July 16, 2018: Schneider Electric South Africa (Pty) Ltd.

Johannesburg South Africa, 20 February 2018 – Schneider Electric and Global Footprint Network (GFN) launched a new mobile-friendly Footprint Calculator for Earth Overshoot Day 2017, which enables everyone to track their ecological footprint and personal Earth Overshoot Day. 

Earth Overshoot Day marks the date when humanity’s demand for ecological resources and services in a given year exceeds what Earth can regenerate in that year. We maintain this deficit by liquidating stocks of ecological resources and accumulating waste, primarily carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.

This year it fell back to 2 August, the earliest date ever, according to GFN, as humanity currently demands 1.7 times more than Earth’s ecosystems can regenerate. When launched in 2006, Earth Overshoot Day fell in October.

How can you #movethedate?

Reducing the energy intensity of homes, buildings and cities will help #movethedate of Overshoot Day back down again; we only need to move the date 4.5 days per year to operate within the means of our planet by 2050.

GFN is highlighting four solution areas to #movethedate: cities, energy, food and population. More than 2 million people used Global Footprint Network’s previous calculator last year, including students and teachers. In addition to a greater focus on solutions, the new calculator features the latest footprint data and methodology as well as updated graphics to help you reduce your carbon footprint.

Protecting planet, society

“We hope our new Footprint Calculator enables millions more people around the world to explore sustainability solutions and gain an uplifting sense of the possibilities available to society,” says Mathis Wackernagel, founder and CEO of Global Footprint Network. “Many of these solutions directly align with Schneider Electric’s values, practices and capabilities in the energy and city solutions space. It is a logical partner as a company whose business model focuses on creating a sustainable future.”

“Through our partnership with GFN, Schneider Electric aims to further promote one-planet compatibility in our global economy and mobilise citizens, other companies, and governments around the world to help #movethedate of Earth Overshoot Day back to December 31. Building an always more sustainable global supply chain and designing increasingly resource-efficient offerings for our customers is our obsession. Our EcoStruxure solutions reduce energy and CO2 intensity of homes, buildings, cities, grids, data centres, industries and these help #movethedate,” says Taru Madangombe, Vice President of Energy in Southern Africa for Schneider Electric.

For more information, go to www.footprintnetwork.org or www.footprintcalculator.org.