In our journey towards a sustainable future, it’s easy to focus on technologies, policies, and environmental impact. But equally crucial is understanding the societal values that underpin meaningful change. As part of the EU-funded CHEERS project, Earthwatch Europe has launched a Zooniverse citizen science initiative – “Who’s Responsibility Is It Anyway?” – to uncover how the public perceives key societal indicators.

The CHEERS project aims to accelerate the transition to a circular economy in Europe by integrating technological innovation, economic viability, and social acceptance. While much of the project focuses on technical and environmental dimensions, like reducing waste, improving resource efficiency, and rethinking production systems, Work Package 6, led by ZHAW and supported by Earthwatch, is exploring societal readiness and acceptance. It is here that the Zooniverse project plays a vital role.

Hosted on the world’s largest citizen science platform, the Zooniverse project invites people from all backgrounds to weigh in on what business practice or behaviour should be prioritised when launching a new product or service. Participants are presented with pairs of societal indicators, such as ensuring the health and safety of employees, or providing education to the local community, and asked to choose which they believe should be prioritised. There’s also an opportunity to explain why, offering a rich qualitative layer to the data collected.

Why is this important for CHEERS?

The transition to a circular economy doesn’t happen in a vacuum. For it to be successful, it must be socially acceptable and resonate with the public’s values. By crowdsourcing opinions from a wide range of citizens, the CHEERS team is gaining valuable insights into what people care about most. Are people more concerned about the fairness of resource distribution? Or is trust in institutions the foundation for societal transformation?

These indicators help project partners, policymakers, and industry stakeholders understand how ready a community or society is to embrace circular economy practices. Embedding public perspectives into these frameworks ensures they are not only scientifically robust but also socially grounded.

Moreover, the Zooniverse project exemplifies one of CHEERS’ core values: participation. Inviting the public to contribute their views builds awareness and ownership, making people feel like they are part of the solution, not just passive recipients of top-down policies. As CHEERS continues to pilot innovative circular systems in real-world settings, tools like the Zooniverse project help ensure that societal values remain front and centre. After all, a truly circular economy must be not only resource-efficient but also inclusive, equitable, and responsive to the people it serves.

We invite you to take part in the project at Zooniverse: Who’s Responsibility Is It Anyway? and help shape the future of the circular economy—one choice at a time.