Tracking change: BOKU University evaluates CARE’s environmental impact

Empowering households and informing policy with science-based tools and insights

What we eat and wear has a bigger environmental impact than many people realise. Household consumption and waste, especially in the areas of food and clothing, significantly contribute to greenhouse gas emissions and environmental degradation.

BOKU University’s Institute of Waste Management and Circularity addresses this challenge by leading the environmental impact assessments in the CARE project. With its expertise in life cycle assessments (LCA), BOKU develops solutions like a Carbon Footprint Tool to help households measure their environmental impact and adopt more sustainable practices.

By quantifying the benefits of circular consumption, such as reducing food waste and extending the lifespan of clothing, BOKU provides actionable insights that empower households and guide future policies. In this way, BOKU helps bridge the gap between awareness and impactful change.

BOKU University´s role in CARE

BOKU University is a renowned institution in sustainability and environmental sciences. In CARE it leads Work Package 1, focusing on evaluating both environmental and well-being impacts of food and clothing consumption at the household level.

Together with project partners, BOKU has developed robust methods and data collection protocols, including food waste diaries, wardrobe studies and household surveys. These tools support the project’s interventions and help track behavioural change over time.

To further support participating households, BOKU created a dedicated Carbon Footprint Tool that allows users to track their own climate impact and explore the potential effect of everyday actions.

We wanted to create a tool that doesn’t just calculate numbers, but helps people see what change looks like, and where it begins. – Elisabeth Schmied

The power of evaluation: Measuring what works

A key part of BOKU’s work lies in preparing and guiding the project’s evaluation process. This began with a comprehensive review of existing methods and practices related to food and clothing consumption, consolidating knowledge to guide CARE’s interventions. Building on this foundation, BOKU developed tailored evaluation methods and data collection protocols specifically for the CARE project, enabling consistent assessments across all five pilot regions.

To establish a baseline for food consumption and waste, BOKU, together with its partners, also created tools such as food waste diaries and household surveys. These enable participating households to record their everyday habits, generating essential data for life cycle assessments (LCA) and helping inform the design of targeted, effective interventions.

Households in the spotlight: Shaping the evaluation

Baseline data collection tools have now been distributed to participating households across all five project countries. Once households submit their information, the baseline evaluations begin. The valuable insights gained from this process are shared with the local Advisory Services, enabling them to offer tailored guidance and support as households transition towards more sustainable practices.

BOKU University has also finalised the Carbon Footprint Tool – an intuitive digital platform designed to help households track and reduce their carbon footprint in three key areas: food, clothing, and laundry. By reducing food waste, making more sustainable clothing choices, and optimising laundry routines, users can see how many CO₂-emissions they save – and take action where it matters most in daily life.

Our aim is to turn data into motivation by showing people how small changes in daily life can add up to real environmental impact. – Gudrun Obersteiner

Discover all CARE partners

Our project partners work hand in hand to explore what circular living means in practice – and how it can be scaled through collaboration, knowledge and action. Discover how each organisation contributes to a more circular future here.

Together with CARE, we transform our world for the better.