Every year, humanity consumes natural resources faster than the Earth can regenerate them. This moment, known as Earth Overshoot Day, marks the beginning of “living on credit” when it comes to nature.
In 2025, Earth Overshoot Day falls on 24 July, eight days earlier than last year. This is a warning of the growing unsustainability of our global production and consumption system.
Croatia entered ecological overshoot as early as 27 April this year, almost a month earlier than in 2024. It is very concerning that we have shifted so significantly in just one year, but we are not among the worst-performing countries. Some countries consume natural resources even faster, for example, Qatar, Luxembourg, the United States, and Germany, which use up their annual biocapacity months before Croatia does. On the other hand, we cannot say we are among the best either, as countries such as Indonesia, Ecuador, and Uruguay consume significantly less and enter ecological overshoot only towards the end of the year.
To push Earth Overshoot Day further into the future and reduce pressure on nature, we must urgently change the way we consume and manage resources.
Find out what ecological overshoot actually means, why it moves earlier every year, and what steps we can take to reverse this worrying trend.
The development of the ecological overshoot concept
The Global Footprint Network first introduced the concept of ecological overshoot in the 1970s. The organisation continues to calculate and publish the date each year. The first official measurement of ecological overshoot was conducted in 1987, when Earth Overshoot Day fell on 19 December. At that time, humanity lived within the planet’s limits for almost the entire year.
Over the past decades, Earth Overshoot Day has steadily moved earlier in the calendar year. During the 1990s, it fell in October. By the 2000s, it had shifted into August, and in recent years it has occurred between late July and early August. This trend clearly shows that humanity is exceeding the planet’s biological capacity at an increasingly rapid rate.
A call for urgent action
The current situation requires all of us to act together, make conscious decisions, and take responsibility to ensure the preservation of our planet.
Sunce is currently a partner in the DesirMED project, which focuses on demonstrating and integrating Nature-based Solutions (NbS) to transform the Mediterranean into a more climate-resilient region. Through this project, Sunce promotes the sustainable management of natural resources, the restoration of degraded ecosystems, and the reduction of climate change impacts, all of which are key elements in addressing ecological overshoot and preventing further depletion of the planet.
How can we reduce our footprint?
Reducing your carbon footprint is an important way to contribute to tackling the climate crisis and promoting environmental sustainability. Here are ten interesting and creative ways to achieve this:
1. Green your surroundings
Install a green roof or create a vertical garden on the wall of your home or office building. If you live in an apartment, place potted plants on your balcony, windowsill, or indoors. Plants absorb CO₂ and produce oxygen, improving the air quality in your home.
2. Eat more vegetables
Consider reducing your consumption of meat and dairy products or adopting a plant-based diet. Livestock farming is a significant source of greenhouse gas emissions, while plant-based diets have a smaller carbon footprint.
If you cannot eliminate meat completely, consider choosing high-quality meat from trusted local producers who use sustainable farming methods, such as grass-fed systems, where livestock primarily graze on natural pasture rather than being fed concentrated feed. These farming methods are often less harmful to the environment than intensive industrial livestock production. Supporting local producers also helps strengthen the local economy and reduce emissions associated with food transport.
3. Compost
Composting food waste plays an important role in reducing your environmental footprint because it prevents organic waste from ending up in landfills, where it decomposes without oxygen and produces methane, a powerful greenhouse gas that significantly contributes to climate change. Composting closes the natural nutrient cycle, reduces the amount of waste that needs to be collected and processed, and contributes to local, sustainable environmental solutions. Ultimately, it is a simple but effective practice through which everyone can help reduce both their personal and collective environmental footprint.
4. Choose environmentally friendly transport
Choose environmentally friendly modes of transport such as walking, cycling, carpooling, or using public transport. In many cases, using public transport is also more cost-effective than driving a private car.
To mark European Mobility Week and Car-Free Day, Sunce organises the Split Cycling Tour every year. This year, Sunce will once again highlight the importance of sustainable transport in promoting a more functional cycling system. Follow our social media channels to find out in time how to join the Split Cycling Tour.
5. Switch to energy-efficient lighting
Replace traditional incandescent light bulbs with energy-efficient LED bulbs. They last longer and consume less electricity, reducing both your carbon footprint and your electricity bill.
6. Reduce plastic waste
Choose reusable alternatives such as cloth shopping bags, reusable water bottles, and food containers. Say no to single-use plastic products whenever possible.
Plastic products are marked with a number inside a triangle indicating the type of plastic. Some types are more difficult to recycle or lack widely available recycling programmes. Plastics that are particularly challenging to recycle include PVC – polyvinyl chloride (No. 3), PS – polystyrene (No. 6), and plastics labelled with No. 7.
Support the Together Without Plastic campaign and learn about the many ways you can reduce plastic waste in the environment.
7. Save water
Adopt water-saving habits such as repairing leaks, using water-efficient appliances, and collecting rainwater for outdoor use. Water is a precious resource that must be used responsibly.
8. Repurpose and swap
Instead of throwing items away, repair or creatively repurpose them. Extending the life of products reduces demand for new resources and lowers carbon emissions associated with manufacturing.
Sunce’s Swap Fair will reopen on 2 September 2025, offering you the opportunity to exchange items instead of discarding them. You will find a wide selection of summer equipment, clothing, footwear, books, jewellery, and toys. By swapping items, we reduce our carbon footprint, save money, and give old belongings a new life.
9. Visit Second-Hand Shops
Buying second-hand clothing and footwear directly contributes to reducing waste, CO₂ emissions, and the consumption of natural resources. According to UNEP, the textile industry is one of the world’s largest polluters. Producing a single pair of jeans requires approximately 3,781 litres of water, an amount on which the average person could live for more than two years. You can learn more about second-hand clothing and footwear in an article written by one of our volunteers.
Source: Freepik
10. Get involved!
Respect and protect your environment. As an individual, you can apply solutions that have a positive impact on society as a whole. Take part in conservation efforts, join clean-up initiatives, and raise awareness about the importance of protecting natural habitats. Get involved in Sunce’s activities, volunteer, become a member, or make a donation to support Sunce’s ongoing work in nature and environmental protection.
Earth Overshoot Day serves as a wake-up call to live more sustainably and protect the planet’s precious resources. Remember, even small changes in our daily habits can make a difference. By adopting these interesting ways to reduce your carbon footprint, you are contributing to a healthier planet for present and future generations.
By taking action and reducing our environmental footprint, we can postpone Earth Overshoot Day and build a future in which humanity lives in harmony with the Earth’s natural systems. Let us move towards a brighter, greener future and preserve the beauty of our planet for generations to come.
