Professional Development
for Community College Educators

Green Chemistry in practice implies designing safer, economical, efficacious and efficient processes and products. All of these aspects are symptoms of good product design and good manufacturing processes and can result in economic benefit for institutions that implement these practices. Green Chemistry can be a tool for regional economic development and jobs creation. Education and training at the academic and technical level are required to support a workforce that can meet societies needs for sustainable technologies.

Green Chemistry offers a concrete path to achieve sustainable and safe laboratory practices. The 12 Principles of Green Chemistry establish a framework for practicing chemists to follow along this path.

Green Chemistry at the College Level

By Professors For Professors

• the 12 Principles of Green Chemistry
  [doc][Short ppt][Full ppt]
  
  
• the Dose Makes the Poison [doc]
  
  
• Environmental Impact Factor [Full doc][Summary doc]
  
  
• Biodiesel Experiment [doc]
  
  
• Cups to Cleaners: Polylactic Acid (PLA) Experiment [doc]
  
  
• Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells [doc][ppt]
  
  
• Liquid CO2 Extraction [College Level doc][HS Version doc]
  
  
• Solventless Aldol Condensation [doc]
  
  
• Vitamin C Clock [pdf]
  
  
• Wood Ash Titration [doc]

For more information about these lessons or Green Chemistry at the College Level, contact

"Green Coming to a Job Near You"

From The Eagle Tribune
April 20, 2009

"Anybody searching for a job may want to think green." In mid-April, John Warner, Congressman John Tierney, and several business leaders met at the Warner Babcock Institute to discuss the green industry. Inspired by that meeting, the Eagle Tribune’s article discusses the growing demand for a green workforce, especially in local Massachusetts companies. The article cites John Warner’s perspective on workforce development through Green Chemistry and education; it also includes a video interview with Congressman Tierney, who co-authored the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, which includes $500 million in funding for the Green Jobs Act.

Read online:

Academia's Role in Workforce Development

Academia plays a key role in educating scientists joining the workforce. It is essential that academic science programs integrate the principles of Green Chemistry into their curriculum and laboratories. Beyond Benign works with academic institutions to support regional growth and education in Green Chemistry. learn more

Our Current Initiatives in
Community Colleges

Implementing Green Chemistry within a community college can have multiple benefits to both the community college and to it's students and academics, including:

• Workforce Retraining - Community Colleges often have strong worker retraining programs. Green Chemistry is a cutting edge science and the demand for scientists who have Green Chemistry training is growing. Any community college that has incorporated Green Chemistry into the curriculum will be well positioned to meet industry's needs.
  
  
• Inherently Safer Classrooms & Labs - Green Chemistry is, by some descriptions, the pursuit of less hazardous and "low-to-no" environmental-impact approaches to making the materials and products that society needs. As such, laboratory experiments designed to teach principles of Green Chemistry tend to use less hazardous materials and produce safer products and by-products - while teaching basic chemistry transformations universally required and expected in accredited institutions of higher education.
  
  
• Leveraging Limited Resources - Inherently safer labs also mean reduced liabilities and less dependence on personal protective equipment. Thoughtfully designed laboratory experiments in Green Chemistry produce less hazardous waste, requiring less waste treatment and lowering remediation costs. Many industries have implemented or are actively pursuing Green Chemistry solutions because of the cost savings from their successes and reduced compliance costs.
  
  
• Student Engagement - Sometimes the Community College is a testing ground for both students and faculty. Students often have limited resources and are testing the waters, so to speak - deciding if a subject or even higher education in general is something they want to pursue. Green Chemistry focuses on the positive ways scientists can contribute to society in a meaningful and sustainable way.
  
  

iSUSTAIN™ Alliance Launched

in Business Wire

Beyond Benign, Cytec Industries Inc. and Sopheon announced today that they have formed the iSUSTAIN Alliance to promote Green Chemistry awareness in the global chemical industry...