This week’s good news round-up shines a light on solutions in sustainability and public awareness that are smart, surprising, and already making a difference.

From a UV-reactive billboard educating the public on sun safety, to a game-changing enzyme that can break down plastic without reducing its quality, to a carbon capture unit designed to ride on cargo ships — this week we spotlight three innovations that prove that tackling challenges can start small and scale big.

Here are three positive stories from the week of June 23 to 29, 2025.

Smart billboards show the hidden impact of UV rays on all skin tones

In a powerful blend of creativity and public health awareness, Wonderhood Studios and The British Skin Foundation have teamed up for a new digital campaign that’s as clever as it is impactful.

Dubbed ‘The Burnable Billboard’, the campaign uses real-time UV data to show how the sun affects different skin tones. As the UV index rises during the day, close-up images of healthy skin displayed on large outdoor screens gradually appear to sunburn and blister — visually demonstrating the unseen dangers of sun exposure.

Image: @BSFcharity Instagram

The billboards are currently live in London and Southampton (with smaller displays in Manchester and Birmingham), thanks to a partnership with Ocean Outdoor.

A standout campaign and striking way to remind people that everyone, regardless of skin tone, needs to take sun safety seriously.

Enzyme discovered in cemetery could revolutionise plastic recycling

A breakthrough discovery from a German biotech team could mark a major leap forward in the fight against plastic waste.

The story began in a Leipzig cemetery a few years ago, where scientists uncovered a naturally occurring enzyme with a remarkable ability: it could break down PET plastic — the type used in many bottles and food containers — by up to 90%, without degrading its quality. And twice as fast as previously found enzymes.

Fast forward to 2025, and that enzyme, now known as PHL7, is nearly ready for commercial rollout. The team behind the discovery has founded ESTER Biotech, and they’re preparing a pilot-scale recycling facility that could pave the way for industrial use. By 2030, they aim to be processing 45,000 metric tons of plastic a year using four large-scale reactors.

Unlike traditional thermal or chemical recycling methods, PHL7 breaks plastic down into its original building blocks without compromising material strength — opening the door to truly circular plastic reuse.

 

Tackling shipping emissions — one container at a time

In an unassuming corner of East London, climate startup Seabound is developing a clever solution to one of the world’s biggest carbon culprits: cargo ships.

Co-founded by entrepreneurs Alisha Fredriksson and Roujia Wen, Seabound has created a compact, quicklime-based carbon capture unit that fits neatly into a standard shipping container. When exhaust fumes from ships pass through it, the lime traps carbon dioxide and turns it into solid limestone.

Seabound co-founders: Alisha Fredriksson (L) and Roujia Wen. (Image: Seabound)

Early tests have shown impressive results — capturing up to 78% of carbon and 90% of sulphur emissions. Designed to scale, multiple units can be stacked like regular cargo to boost performance on longer voyages.

With global shipping responsible for around 3% of greenhouse gas emissions, innovations like Seabound’s could play a major role in decarbonising the high seas.