As of 20th May humans have consumed their full year’s worth of natural resources, so everything used between now and 2026 leaves a deficit and more ecological damage. Here’s how technology can push the needle back.
As the UK approaches Earth Overshoot Day on May 20 – the date when our country’s consumption of ecological resources exceeds what our planet can regenerate in a year – it is clear that our demand for resources is increasing, with the nation’s date falling earlier in the calendar.
While this is sobering, it also presents an opportunity for leadership and radical change. Rather than more regulation or imported solutions, we can apply the creativity of some of our greatest assets – our innovators.
Moving the needle
Many believe that by embracing circular economy principles, individuals and communities can contribute to shifting Earth Overshoot Day to a later date, promoting a more sustainable balance between consumption and the planet’s capacity to regenerate. For inventors and innovators, this presents opportunities for new business models, ground-breaking products and a fresh take on service provision.
From carbon-intensive supply chains to single-use plastics and food waste, our economy is taking more than it gives back. Yet, in labs, startups, universities and workshops across the country, the disrupters are working to flip this model on its head.
Industry trailblazers
The effect of the UK’s innovators is already being felt, from breakthroughs in vertical farming and circular packaging to sustainable water conservation and environmentally-friendly manufacturing.
Companies on the cutting edge, show the depth and breadth of innovation already happening in the UK. If scaled effectively, they could help push our national Overshoot Day later into the year, moving us closer to ecological balance and helping to build a regenerative economy.
Certified B corp LettUs Grow design and build aeroponic technology for greenhouses, indoor and vertical farms, allowing plants to grow faster, while using less water, fertiliser and zero pesticides.
The company developed ultrasonic aeroponic systems, using high-frequency sound waves that shake water to create a nutrient-rich mist. This mist irrigates plant roots, while allowing maximum access to oxygen, leading to faster growth times, healthy plant roots and flourishing crops.
Harnessing the power of seaweed, Notpla makes biodegradable packaging from this and other natural materials. This simple food container is carefully engineered to eliminate waste.
Where conventional containers have petrol-based coatings that stick around for hundreds of years and leach chemicals into the ground, this uses 100% natural seaweed.
Once finished, the whole package can be composted and disappears without a trace within 4-6 weeks. Seaweed grows quickly, and needs no freshwater, land or fertiliser. It captures carbon and makes the surrounding waters less acidic.
Tackling the growing ecological issue of marine plastic pollution was the driver for Ideal manufacturing MD Phillip Kalli. The tipping point was triggered by media attention in 2018, focusing on how plastics affect the marine environment and accelerated the urgency for a business model that would address the crisis and the demand for ‘throwaway’ plastic containers.
The team partnered with a start-up sustainable business, Planet Minimal to build a circular solution that moves their business towards zero waste and gets their product into home kitchens, without adding a single-use plastic bottle into the waste system, lowering their carbon footprint.
As one of our most precious, yet threatened resources, water conservation is another key area attracting innovative solutions.
The Scarlet Hotel in Cornwall operates on 100% renewable electricity and was optimised to be environmentally friendly at its design stages. This can be seen by the natural ventilation used to cool the rooms in hotter months, allowing it to avoid the use of air conditioning.
The hotel also employs innovative heating solutions – its indoor pool is heated using a solar system, and a biomass boiler is used for general heating, further reducing its reliance on fossil fuels.
The integration of IoT-enabled water management systems offers hoteliers another transformative opportunity, while reducing water and energy use and carbon emissions. These systems allow real-time monitoring of water consumption, alerting operators to leaks, inefficiencies and any safety issues in real-time.
Key role of behaviour change
Preventing wasteful habits is key – long showers, excessive lawn watering, or leaving the taps running can all be countered with simple reminders.
Placing signs to help ‘nudge’ better habits near taps, use of smart showers, water monitoring tools or smart water meters, all help to instil awareness and encourage more mindful usage.
One study has shown that providing hotel guests with messages about water use while they are taking a shower can reduce the length of time they spend showering by more than 25%.
We need to harness change tools to create lasting habits. Notoriously rainy countries like England and Scotland do sometimes face water scarcity due to increasing demand from growing populations; aging, leaky infrastructure and climate disruption.
We need to focus on cultivating an ingrained culture of conservation, everywhere. Schools, workplaces, and communities can integrate water stewardship into a way of life.
Rewarding circularity
But innovation alone isn’t enough. Too often, great ideas stall at the prototype stage because investment favours short-term returns over long-term sustainability. If we’re serious about changing course, we must do more than celebrate innovation – we must back it with serious policy and financial support.
That means targeted green investment, smarter procurement from government and big business, and incentives that reward circular business models over linear ones in small, cumulative shifts in behaviour that, when adopted collectively, lead to significant environmental benefits:
Reducing unnecessary consumption – do we need to buy as much as we do? Prioritising second-hand, refurbished, or repairable products over new ones can drastically cut waste.
Cutting down on water use – simple actions like taking shorter showers can make a significant impact.
Rethinking transport – although it is widely acknowledged that EVs are more environmentally friendly than their fossil-fuel counterparts, the calculations are complex. Overall, we should reduce car use, walking, cycling and using public transport where possible.
Minimising food waste – a staggering third of all food produced globally is estimated to be wasted. Household waste is a major issue, with better planning, seasonal eating, portion control and composting all helping to contribute to a circular economy.
Behavioural innovation
We tend to think of innovation as high-tech, but behavioural innovation – rethinking how and why we consume – is equally vital. Some of the most powerful ideas are deceptively simple: repairable and recyclable products, refill stations and community sharing schemes. UK businesses like Library of Things or Toast Brewing, which makes beer from surplus bread, are proving that sustainability can be both scalable and profitable.
Earth Overshoot Day should not just be a date on the calendar – it represents the opportunity for change. We have the tools, the ability, and the entrepreneurial spirit to delay that date year-on-year. But only if we prioritise the kind of innovation that reduces demand on the planet, not just shifts it elsewhere.
The UK has long been a global leader in industry and ingenuity. Now is the time to build an economy that thrives within planetary boundaries. If we empower our innovators, support them with intent and challenge ourselves to consume more wisely, we can start to turn back the clock.
Steve Harding, founder and CEO at Showerkap, a pioneering UK green tech company.
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