Green chemistry and sustainability: Essential elements for chemical pedagogy

CHED 16

Terrence J. Collins, tc1u@andrew.cmu.edu, Department of Chemistry, Carnegie Mellon University, Institute for Green Oxidation Chemistry, 4400 Fifth Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15213
Western civilization is not sustainable in its current constitution. With its goals of achieving clean water, safe energy, renewable feedstocks, and a nonpolluting technology base, green chemistry is mankind's most powerful tool for developing the technological dimension of a sustainable high technology civilization. A potent, forthright, multilevel pedagogy in green chemistry and sustainability science is needed to get young scientists thinking well and to catalyze inventiveness aimed at sustainable products and processes. In this lecture, I will review the important educational trajectories for developing a genuine green chemistry curriculum. Such a curriculum will be capable of aiding human aspirations for achieving a sustainable technology base. I will also discuss what we must do to avoid producing an anemic and sterile green chemistry curriculum.