Eco Blog - St. George's Berlin

According to a 21 August 2025 article by Anthony King in the EU Research magazine Horizon , "Researchers are testing a new method of capturing CO2 from energy-intensive industries and converting it into valuable chemicals and fuels."   The process involves multiple steps including  the creation of potassium carbonate in order to lock the gas into liquid form, then to use electricity to make the solution more acidic to release CO2, and finally to turn the CO2 into formic acid, which is the simplest carboxylic acid. A related process is being used in Denmark to make the creation of cement more environmentally friendly.   Even though the process works, this article makes it clear that working out cost-effective CO2 capture remains difficult, and will continue to require significant  European Union investment. Such initiatives are important to protect God's creation.  

We have long known that bee populations are in decline due to climate change, but climate change is not by any means the only reason.  Bee-killing pesticides are an important factor which countries could and should control. Habitat loss is another factor. Governments traditionally encourage groth, and growth often means paving over land for buildings and streets and even bicycle paths. A few cities like Berlin have been trying to protect successful green areas like Tiergarten in the city's centre, but pollution from automobile traffic remains a problem despite a vote in 2022 that favoured restricting cars inside the core city. Courts have ruled that holding a new  referendum to ban cars within the S-Bahn ring is legal. Forests are also suffering despite efforts in many countries to protect forests from developers.   Nonetheless a 2025 article by Madina Tussupov gives a reason for hope, because  the population of bees is actually growing in some areas in Asia. Ch...

Plastic waste in water has long been one of the major pollution problems, but there may now be a solution in sight, according to a Reuters article by Irene Wang   ( LINK ):     “Researchers in Japan have developed a plastic that dissolves in seawater within hours, offering up a potential solution for a modern-day scourge polluting oceans and harming wildlife. … [T]he new material is as strong as petroleum-based plastics but breaks down into its original components when exposed to salt. Those components can then be further processed by naturally occurring bacteria, thereby avoiding generating microplastics that can harm aquatic life and enter the food chain.” A key factor will be persuading commercial users to adopt in this form of plastic.   Doing so will likely take both social pressure perhaps financial incentives. Nonetheless, water soluble plastic could be important for preserving God's creation.    

A 20 May 2025 report from the University of Reading entitled "Bees face new threats, putting our survival & theirs at risk"  discusses  the alarming state of the bee population. ( LINK ) It warns:   "Pollinators like bees, butterflies, some birds and bats are vital to nature and our food supply with almost 90% of flowering plants and over three-quarters of the world’s staple crops depending on them. But habitat loss, pesticides, climate change and invasive species have caused their severe decline, including the extinction of some bee species." Among the key problems are pesticides, but other risks loom large, including air pollution, micro plastics,  artificial light for those that pollinate at night, and wildfires that are destroying their natural  habitats. The report emphasises that "finding ways to protect pollinators early is key to prevent preventing further major decline." Protecting bees and other pollinating insects is important if we...

The EU’s Circular Cities and Regions Initiative (CCRI) was launched in October 2021 as "part of the EU’s broader effort to help cities use resources more efficiently and reduce waste. ... This initiative is also a key part of the European Green Deal – the EU’s overarching plan to grow the economy while protecting the environment. " ( LINK )  Reuse is an important environmental measure. "“The carbon footprint of reused elements is just 5 % of that of newly produced ones,” said Huuhka, who coordinates the ReCreate initiative."  ( LINK )   These kinds of initiatives need to be publicised and encouraged in protect God's creation. (from Horizon: the EU Research & Innovation Magazine :    LINK )

A 5 May 2025 Guardian article by Tom Perkins has the title: "Plastics in everyday objects may disrupt sleep in same way as caffeine, study finds:" ( LINK ) "The biological process of how the plastic chemicals affect the body is similar to caffeine in its effects on the circadian rhythm and adenosine receptor. ... But when the adenosine receptor is activated by the chemicals, it may not relay the message, delaying the body’s natural physiological processes. ... The findings of each new study will be used to pressure lawmakers to enact regulations, and to try to convince industry to remove the chemicals from the plastic, Wagner said."  This is in addition to the other environmental damage that plastic does to fish and animals. If we care about God's creation, we should minimise out use of plastic, even when that is challenging today.

 Tom Perkins of the Guardian writes: "Three essential things to know about microplastics – and how to avoid them" with the subtitle: "Microplastics can’t be avoided completely, but even small steps in the right direction can help significantly." Here are some quotes from the article: "... plastic kitchenware is a major source of contamination at home. It all adds up: by one estimate, we on average ingest about 3.8m microplastics annually, many through food." "...Some plastic will almost certainly end up in your food, no matter what you do. ... prioritize the easiest steps you can take to avoid the chemicals, like swapping out plastic kitchen utensils with items made with safer alternative..." "... single-use paper coffee cups can shed trillions of bits of plastic when hot liquid is added. Similarly, tea bags can release billions of particles, and microwavable plastic is also a problem."  As a tea drinker I find the news about tea bags e...