Today’s challenge invites you to reflect on the impact of your choices with curiosity and intention. As you explore your footprint, you’ll begin to see how daily decisions connect to larger systems and recognize the power you have to help shift both.
Let this be a moment of awareness, not pressure or guilt. Small, intentional steps can spark meaningful change for you, your community, and the planet.
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It is our collective and individual responsibility to preserve and tend to the world in which we all live.”
Your ecological footprint measures the land, water, and natural resources needed to sustain your lifestyle — from the food you eat to the energy you use to the waste you produce. When our collective demand outpaces Earth’s ability to regenerate each year, we enter ecological overshoot, a dangerous trend that has persisted for more than five decades. Your carbon footprint reflects the greenhouse gas emissions tied to everyday life, including transportation, electricity, and food production.
In today’s connected world, our digital habits have also become a growing part of our footprints. Streaming, cloud storage, and AI tools consume massive amounts of energy. AI alone may generate more than 8.4 tons of CO₂ per user annually. Algorithms also shape how we see the world, sometimes fueling misinformation and slowing climate progress.
Whether physical or digital, every part of our footprint is connected. Tools like the Global Footprint Network help measure our demand on nature, empowering individuals, communities, and nations to track progress and make informed choices. The World Wildlife Fund offers resources that highlight practical steps for reducing consumption and supporting sustainable systems. Patagonia Provisions models this mindset in action — through regenerative agriculture, ethical sourcing, and compostable packaging — demonstrating that the way we grow and consume food can nurture both people and the planet.
Recognizing the links between what we do, the systems that shape those choices, and the solutions already within reach gives us real power: to act with purpose and urgency, and to help build the just, sustainable future we all deserve.
PARTNERS
RESOURCES
CHALLENGE
The choices we make every day add up, especially when multiplied by nearly 8 billion people. When we shift our habits, we start to change the system to support the well-being of our Earth and all the species that inhabit it.
Humans currently use resources as if we lived on 1.8 Earths. The Ecological Footprint shows how our demand compares to the planet’s ability to regenerate. Earth Overshoot Day is the date when we have used more than nature can replenish in a year. This day arrives earlier each year, but by shifting how we live, we can help push it back.
The climate crisis is also a justice crisis. A small share of people consume most of the world’s resources, while those who’ve contributed the least face the harshest impacts. Real change requires transforming systems, not just shifting individual habits.
For the remainder of PGC, expand your perspective by curating a climate newsfeed. Gather 10 timely articles from 10 reputable news sources, each aligned with a daily climate theme. Compile them into a single document so your newsfeed becomes a living collection of trusted, solutions-oriented voices you can return to for insight and inspiration throughout the challenge.
For each article:
At the end of the month, you’ll turn in your completed newsfeed for points. This is a great opportunity to explore fresh voices in climate reporting, connect what you’re learning to real-world action, and fuel your own passion for change.
Each Greener Winner will receive:
Each Greenest Winner will receive:
