Question: How will this help the environment?

James Jennings answered on 11 Jun 2011:

I hope my work will help the environment by using carbon dioxide- which is less polluting than other nasty chemicals that are used as solvents.

You may know that carbon dioxide is a “greenhouse gas” which causes global warming. This is true, but as we collect our carbon dioxide as waste from different industrial processes, we help to make more use out of the waste. Also, carbon dioxide can easily be recycled and used again (unlike other chemicals), which means less pollution!

I don’t expect my work alone to make a big change and help the environment. Hopefully it will help scientists in the future think of exciting new ways to use carbon dioxide and make new materials. This is how science typically works- everyone gets ideas from other scientists, and once in a while someone will think of something that could change the world!