Green Chemistry

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Notes to Instructors to Accompany An Introduction to Green Chemistry 

    An Introduction to Green Chemistry can stand alone or be used as a entry to any of the Green Modules developed for a specific course.  When using the introduction it is recommended that the students read the introduction followed by a discussion of such topics as:

  • The major US environmental laws
  • The Pollution Prevention Act of 1990
  • The need for green chemistry
  • The principles of green chemistry
  • The Presidential Green Chemistry Challenge
  • How green chemistry might impact a particular field or area of chemistry
    The Green Modules are written specifically to be inserted into a particular mainstream chemistry course with minimal disruption and minimal addition of new material.  However the chemistry presented in these modules is often applicable to other areas of chemistry (i.e. other courses) without significant modification of the module.  We therefore encourage instructors to peruse all the modules in an effort to find other ways of infusing green chemistry into their courses. 
    Alternatively an instructor may wish to create a new course specifically aimed at green chemistry.  In some instances this may be the best way to expose students to green chemistry.  However, disadvantages of this method include the much smaller audience this will impact on, and this would also give students the impression that green chemistry is an area unto itself, while in fact green chemistry impacts upon and is part of most all areas of chemistry.  Therefore we believe these modules will have the widest and most significant impact if they are used to infuse green chemistry into the mainstream chemistry courses that are now taught. 
    The material for each of the Green Modules focuses on chemistry that has won or been nominated for a Presidential Green Chemistry Challenge Award.  This insures that the emphasis is not only on green chemistry, but also on state-of-art, applied, real-world and novel chemistry.
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