Reaching our limits

While August marks the middle of summer holidays for many, this year the start of the month also represents something more alarming: our dwindling supply of natural resources. Earth Overshoot Day, which falls on August 1st this year, refers to the date when humanity’s resource consumption for the year surpasses the Earth’s capacity to regenerate them.

The arrival of Earth Overshoot Day with more than a third of the year left to go is a distressing development. Despite ongoing efforts to raise awareness about climate change, our excessive use of natural resources persists – and now we need to act fast.

Green jobs are critical to preserving resources

“Steps must be taken to push back the date of Earth Overshoot Day and to help with this, we expect to see ‘green jobs’ taking centre stage – especially as three quarters of adults agree that green jobs are crucial to addressing climate change,” says Gayle Schueller, Chief Sustainability Officer, 3M.

“Green jobs focus on positively impacting the environment and help us become more sustainable and resource efficient. As industry leaders, we have a responsibility to use our resources to promote green job development, inspire the transition from existing jobs to greener ones and educate the public about the necessity of these roles. Today, we encourage companies to look ahead and consider their sustainability strategies - from using cutting-edge scientific materials to advance areas such as decarbonisation, energy efficiency and sustainable infrastructure, to actively engaging with communities to spread awareness about the importance of green skills to create the future we want.”

Green jobs refer to jobs in a wide range of sectors and industries that focus specifically on positively impacting the environment, either by preserving or restoring it. As climate change becomes one of the biggest challenges of our time, more people are recognising the significance of green jobs for driving a more sustainable future. In the UK, 73% of people agree that green jobs are crucial to addressing climate change, while 74% argue that the workforce needs more green job workers.

3Ms promotes green jobs with its sustainability strategy

Companies can help to create a more sustainable future through the promotion of green jobs and green skills. Advancements in technology mean that green jobs are a huge area for potential growth. By actively curating new green positions and encouraging training and development in green skills, businesses across industries can work towards reducing their environmental impact. As industry leaders, we have a duty to use our resources and innovation to promote green job development, encourage the transition from traditional jobs to greener, more skilled jobs, and educate the public about the necessity of these roles. 

3M has been committed to sustainability since the 1970s and continually aims to develop solutions that combat climate change. At 3M, innovation is a key factor in our sustainability strategy, and we are committed to developing innovative climate solutions and establishing new green jobs that proactively address environmental challenges.

From using cutting-edge scientific materials to advance in areas such as decarbonisation, energy efficiency and sustainable infrastructure, to promoting jobs within digitalisation and sustainable manufacturing, we actively engage with our communities to spread awareness about the importance of skilled and green jobs. Initiatives like these are especially relevant in the UK, where 20% of people admit that they are unsure about how to secure a STEM job.

While Earth Overshoot Day serves as a critical reminder of our limited resources and the ongoing climate crisis, it should also inspire us to take action. We can start by acknowledging the positive impact that green jobs have in reducing our reliance on Earth’s natural resources and developing new, innovative solutions that protect the environment.

At 3M, we view it as our responsibility to promote the wealth of opportunities in the skilled trades and encourage the next generation to pursue a career in these fields.