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Green Chemistry Education in the News:

Announcing the 2025 K-12 Green Chemistry Education Award Winners

February 26, 2025

We’re excited to share that Beyond Benign is supporting three fantastic K-12 educators as recipients of this round of K-12 Green Chemistry Education Awards! Their innovative projects will help drive meaningful change in K-12 green chemistry education, inspiring students and educators alike.

Erica Fatura, Cassie Lydon, and Cassie Javner—recognized for their leadership and commitment to green chemistry education—are spearheading projects that will expand access to green chemistry in K-12 classrooms. While each initiative is unique, all three will support the integration of green chemistry into K-12 educational settings–driving more educators to inspire their students with creativity, innovation, and sustainability.

Below, find details on their exciting projects, set to launch in the coming months.

Want to learn how you can bring green chemistry to your school? Sign up for our Intro to Green Chemistry course taught by expert educator, Cassidy Javner.

Erika Fatura – “Been There, Done That, Got the T-shirt: Sharing 22 Great Ideas From 22 Years of Teaching Science.”

Erika’s K-12 Green Chemistry Education award will support in attending the 2025 Michigan Science Teachers Associations (MSTA) conference in Lansing, where she will present on Green Chemistry. The conference is set to occur from March 6th-8th, 2025.

Erika’s presentation provides insights with science teachers on best practices from her 22 year career teaching secondary science. As a former Lead Teacher, and someone still very passionate about Green Chemistry and Beyond Benign, Erika will be sharing a general overview of Green Chemistry and curriculum resources compiled on Beyond Benign’s Green Chemistry Teaching & Learning Community (GCTLC) platform. It is Erika’s hope to share these resources with teachers who have not yet discovered green chemistry, who will also spread the word to their colleagues. Her “22 Great Ideas” also include tech hacks, content ideas, cheap lab resources, social media, grant ideas, etc.

She shares, “A goal of mine is getting the word out about Green Chemistry as well as the awesome opportunities and resources that Beyond Benign offers! There is not a better audience than at a science teachers conference to help educate others about the importance of Green Chemistry. Being involved with Beyond Benign was an incredible experience for me and connected me to so many great people. I hope others will jump on board and take advantage of their opportunities as well.”

Cassie Lydon and Cassie Javner – Teaching Workshop

Cassie Lydon and Cassie Javner are active K-12 educators who have been working in partnership for several years, collaborating with University of Minnesota Professor Emerita, Dr. Jane Wissinger, to host annual teaching workshops for K-12 educators– centered on green chemistry and sustainability. This year’s 3-day workshop is planned for June 16th-18th. More information will be made available soon for those interested in registering.

The K-12 Green Chemistry Education Award will support Cassie Lydon and Cassie Javner to lead a hands-on 3-day workshop hosted at the University of Minnesota. This workshop is designed for high school chemistry teachers eager to integrate the principles of green chemistry and sustainability into their classrooms. Participants will explore the core concepts of green chemistry and learn methods to inspire students to address real-world challenges through chemistry. Emphasizing student engagement, critical thinking, and collaborative problem-solving, this workshop will equip teachers with the tools, strategies, and resources to incorporate sustainability-focused lessons that spark curiosity and empower students to find solutions to global challenges.

This workshop will address gaps in content knowledge, limited access to resources, and insufficient planning time, ensuring teachers are well-equipped to implement green chemistry in their classrooms.

Want to stay up to date on the latest opportunities in green chemistry? Sign up for the Beyond Benign Newsletter and create an account on the Green Chemistry Teaching and Learning Community (GCTLC).

Announcing the 2025 K-12 Green Chemistry Education Award Winners

February 26, 2025

From Classroom to Commitment: How Brown University Students Led the Charge for Green Chemistry

February 25, 2025

“Students have the power to question existing systems and push for new approaches,” says Jesse Morin, a Lecturer at Brown University. Morin (right) is pictured alongside students Steve Bella (left) and Nicholas Albaum (center) who supported Brown in becoming the first Ivy League Green Chemistry Commitment signer. Photo courtesy of the Brown University Department of Chemistry.

A single question from a student research project sparked Brown University’s broader commitment to the principles of green chemistry. This idea emerged from Reimagining Chemistry, a course first taught in 2024 by Lecturer Jesse Morin, and a project that challenged students to rethink an aspect of chemistry at the university or within the Providence, Rhode Island, community. While seeking answers to their question, Brown students Nicholas Albaum and Steve Bella expanded awareness of green chemistry among their peers as well as faculty and administrators. They also gained hands-on experience in outreach and practical applications — skills they can carry into their future careers, creating ripple effects far beyond Morin’s classroom.

Like many other universities, Brown courses have incorporated principles of green chemistry for years. With the new Reimagining Chemistry course, Morin saw an opportunity to devote a section to green chemistry and encourage students to broaden their thinking about the long-term implications of lab experiments and research. “Green chemistry is a really good way to introduce how chemistry can be a solution, instead of talking and focusing on history and problems. It’s more forward-thinking,” Morin says. “In the class, we’re talking about the ways that chemistry impacts the world around it, both positive and negative.”

For Albaum, a senior with a concentration in biochemistry, the Reimagining Chemistry project sparked questions about what happens downstream, literally and figuratively, with chemicals used in experiments. “It stemmed from chemistry labs, when we had excess reagent or excess product, and I was trying to figure out how to properly dispose of this,” he says. “It just really got me curious about what is the pathway for these things that we’re using to synthesize and the product that we’ve synthesized — where’s this going to end up?”

Albaum and classmate and research project partner Bella started by taking their question to the university’s Environmental Health and Safety Office, which regulates all campus labs and lab waste at Brown University. “In talking with them, one of the problems that we found was there’s not really enough attention given to this process of what actually happens to the waste that’s going through our labs, its end fate and the consequences,” Albaum says.

As the students explored potential pathways to address lab waste, Morin pointed them to Beyond Benign’s Green Chemistry Commitment (GCC) — a framework to unite the green chemistry higher education community around a common vision. Through the GCC, educational institutions can connect with a community of chemistry education experts, get access to funding opportunities, expand the community of green chemists, and more. GCC signers include more than 215 educational institutions around the world.

Although Morin helped connect the students with the GCC, she attributes the program’s progress at Brown to their curiosity and determination. Brown became the first Ivy League university to sign the GCC, a distinction among the eight prestigious institutions known for their rigorous academics and selective admissions. “I was aware of the Green Chemistry Commitment before this class, but it was the students who took the initiative to get us signed on,” Morin says.

According to Morin, having students spearhead the GCC initiative was likely a key factor in its success at Brown. “Getting students involved is a tremendous advantage because, in many ways, they have more influence than I do in driving change,” she explains. “Students have the power to question existing systems and push for new approaches.”

The GCC signing process served as an additional learning experience for the students, as they navigated getting approval from the chemistry department chair and a university administrator at Brown. “It’s an opportunity to have a conversation (about green chemistry),” Morin says. “People across Brown know about it a little bit more than they might have.”

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Students Will Carry Lab Lessons Forward Into Their Careers

As a junior majoring in chemistry with plans to study dentistry, Bella sees the GCC as an opportunity to inspire others who will move on to healthcare careers. “Chemistry is one of the most foundational sciences that all people that go into medical fields are learning,” he says. “It’s a good place to get people starting to think about sustainability and green lab practices.”

A lot of students are involved in undergraduate research, and together their small changes can add up to meaningful impact, Bella says. “Knowing the principles of green chemistry and always keeping them in the back of your mind will lead you to having more sustainable lab practices,” he says. “You go into the lab every couple days or every day or whatever and you’re scaling down your reactions, you’re using less stuff overall, that adds up really quickly to an overall more green impact.”

As he moves forward with his dentistry studies and career, Bella plans to carry green chemistry principles with him. “It’s so easy to get wrapped up in memorizing and learning, and blindly looking at the reactions and absorbing it. But I say think about it a little more, maybe research the reaction, the history of it, how harsh the conditions actually are. … That’s really a good way to immerse yourself in the content that you’re learning. And maybe it can inspire you to go further and maybe try to make more changes to a specific reaction. It’s a cool way to differentiate your book studies and your real-life experiences.”

Albaum also plans to carry forward what he’s learned about green chemistry, a decision that reinforces the importance of teaching more students about the implications of their lab work. “It’s important to plant a seed now when we’re students because there’s a chance that I end up running a research lab or being a professor … and I’ll have the authority to say we’re going to do this in a better way.”

At Brown, he sees the opportunity to introduce green chemistry principles into more courses, especially at the introductory level, and dedicate more classwork to green chemistry initiatives. “You sometimes don’t consider that the product you’re trying to make has consequences when it’s released into the world,” he says. “What happens when this gets in the atmosphere? What happens when this gets in a person? To me, that’s what green chemistry is about.”

He also appreciated how the GCC connects signer institutions with resources and incentives like awards for faculty and student groups. But even more, he’s noticed that the GCC provides reinforcement for suggestions and updates for lab work and other projects. “Since joining this commitment, it feels like we have the backing of the university and of the chemistry department,” Albaum says. “It gives a little more confidence to suggest how we actually start changing our methods and stop using outdated procedures. … It’s nice to have a little bit of weight behind the initiative to do things a little greener.”

GCC Helps Students and Faculty Drive Change on Campus and Beyond

Taking action to mitigate the environmental impact of their lab work is a concept that resonates with many college students, Morin says, as they are more likely to face the long-term effects of the climate crisis. “They are the generation that’s going to have to deal with the consequences of what we do or don’t do,” Morin says. “It’s something that hopefully they just already are thinking and caring about.”

Through the GCC, students and faculty can work together to incorporate practices that raise awareness of the need for change. Morin encourages faculty at other institutions to turn to the GCC and organizations like Beyond Benign for support as they expand green chemistry coursework. “Don’t feel like you have to do all or nothing. You can do a small piece, and that will make a big difference,” she says. “At most universities, their curriculum is changing on a regular basis. So if you could make it part of just a change that has to happen anyway, like I did with changing the format of the lab, it might be a more natural fit.”

This gradual approach will guide Morin as she incorporates more green chemistry practices in courses like Reimagining Chemistry. “I’m hoping future iterations of the class might make resources more tailored toward research labs and make them aware of greener choices or to be aware of greener solvent choices,” she says.

“My goal is that someday in the not-too-distant future, green chemistry isn’t the topic that comes up in other classes, but it’s just the way they’re taught,” Morin says. “If we can do small things in different courses and across the department that raise awareness in general, it’ll just become the way that people do things.”

Learn more about other GCC signers:

From Classroom to Commitment: How Brown University Students Led the Charge for Green Chemistry

February 25, 2025

2024 Year in Review

January 30, 2025

Check out takeaways from an incredible year in the green chemistry community.

2024 Year in Review

January 30, 2025

Check out takeaways from an incredible year in the green chemistry community.

Meet The Beyond Benign Team: A Q&A With Dr. Omar Villanueva

January 27, 2025

A curiosity about nature and a passion for learning provided early guidance for Omar Villanueva’s academic and professional journey. Secondary educators sparked his enthusiasm for the study of chemistry and inspired his decision to become a teacher himself.

Now, he is taking the next step into his new role as Chief Program Officer at Beyond Benign, where he sees an opportunity to spread the word about green chemistry as a powerful tool to inspire and educate others. “Learning green chemistry is essential for students because it represents the future of chemistry,” Omar says. “By embedding the principles of green chemistry into core courses, research, and extracurricular activities, we can ensure that the next generation of chemists is equipped to tackle the environmental and societal challenges of the 21st century.”

After first learning of green chemistry during his PhD studies, Omar embedded its principles into his research and subsequent faculty role at a Georgia undergraduate institution. While there, he introduced students to principles of green chemistry and saw firsthand how signing the Green Chemistry Commitment can help educational institutions develop a cohesive and collaborative approach to green chemistry.

As part of the Beyond Benign team, Omar is eager to broaden the impact of green chemistry and reach a larger audience. “We offer a wealth of resources to support chemistry programs implementing green chemistry principles and fostering a more sustainable approach to chemistry,” he says. “I look forward to continuing my journey by empowering other educators, students, and institutions to embrace green chemistry and contribute to a more sustainable future.”

In this Q&A, Omar shares more about the educational and professional journey that led him to his new role at Beyond Benign and his vision for the role that green chemistry can play for future learners and organizations.

As the newest member of the Beyond Benign team, we would love to hear about your journey to science and green chemistry. Can you share your educational and professional background?

Growing up in rural southwest Mexico, becoming a scientist seemed like a distant dream. However, my love for science began at an early age, fueled by an innate curiosity about how things in nature worked. At age 10, my family moved to the United States for better educational opportunities, and we settled in Georgia, where I attended middle and high school. My fascination with science deepened in high school—especially in my chemistry class. While challenging, chemistry quickly became one of my favorite subjects, primarily due to the enthusiasm and dedication of my teachers, who made the subject come alive. When I began my undergraduate studies at the University of Georgia in Athens (UGA), I majored in chemistry after falling in love with organic chemistry. At the same time, my passion for education inspired me to pursue a double major in science education, as I envisioned a future where I could combine my love for science with a desire to teach and inspire others. Interestingly, I never encountered the term “green chemistry” during my undergraduate studies, though I was always drawn to sustainability. This curiosity about sustainable solutions led me to pursue graduate studies at Emory University, where my official journey into green chemistry began.

During my PhD program, my research focused on developing sustainable, Earth-abundant transition metal catalysts for organic synthesis. These catalysts were designed to minimize environmental impact by using less toxic reagents—like oxygen as an oxidant—and generating fewer (or no) harmful byproducts. They were also more economically viable compared to traditional catalysts. It wasn’t until I came across the book Green Chemistry: Theory and Practice by Paul Anastas and John Warner that I realized my work directly aligned with the 12 Principles of Green Chemistry. This discovery sparked a more profound commitment to sustainable science, and I became intentional about incorporating green chemistry principles into all aspects of my research.

After completing my PhD, I joined the faculty at an undergraduate-only institution in Georgia. I had the privilege of mentoring students and introducing them to sustainable catalysis and its critical role in green chemistry. Over the past decade, my research has consistently focused on developing greener catalysts, and I’ve also worked to integrate green chemistry into my teaching. From introductory courses to organic chemistry and senior-level special topics, I’ve created courses, modules, and hands-on activities centered on green and sustainable chemistry. This approach has helped students see the societal relevance of chemistry and equipped them with valuable skills that set them apart when applying for graduate programs or industry positions.

Now, as part of the Beyond Benign team, I am thrilled to broaden the impact of green chemistry by reaching a larger audience. I look forward to continuing my journey by empowering other educators, students, and institutions to embrace green chemistry and contribute to a more sustainable future.

How did your professional path lead you to your current role with Beyond Benign? Why were you interested in joining the team?

As a faculty member, I’ve had many opportunities to use green chemistry as a powerful tool to inspire and educate others about creating a more sustainable future in chemistry. My passion for teaching and mentoring undergraduate students has always been a driving force in my career in higher education. However, I’ve also been deeply interested in expanding my skill set and exploring leadership roles in administration.

I embraced a new chapter in my professional journey about three years ago by focusing on higher education administration. I became the Chemistry Department Chair at Georgia Gwinnett College, a diverse undergraduate institution in Georgia. In this role, I led a highly diverse department with 33 full-time and 10 part-time faculty members. I also oversaw the four chemistry tracks, including implementing an innovative track in fermentation science. Working alongside incredible colleagues, I gained a profound appreciation for strong leadership’s impact on shaping departments and fostering positive change.

I’ve always believed that effective administrators can create broader, meaningful impacts within organizations, and this belief guided my interest when I learned about the Chief Program Officer position at Beyond Benign. This role presented an exciting opportunity to combine my administrative experience with my passion for green chemistry education. Beyond Benign’s mission to advance green chemistry through education profoundly resonates with my values and professional goals. The chance to contribute to such transformative work while staying connected to the chemistry community perfectly aligned with my aspirations.

After learning more about the incredible work Beyond Benign does, I was even more inspired by the organization’s vision and impact. I’m excited to join a team that is making a profound difference in green chemistry education and contributing to its growth. This role allows me to combine my administrative skills, passion for green chemistry, and dedication to advancing education to help Beyond Benign achieve its mission.

How did you learn about the Green Chemistry Commitment (GCC)? Why did Georgia Gwinnett College decide to sign the Commitment?

I first learned about Beyond Benign and the Green Chemistry Commitment (GCC) when my colleague at Georgia Gwinnett College, Dr. Cynthia Woodbridge, introduced the idea of having our institution sign the Commitment. At the time, I didn’t fully realize how transformative this initiative would become for our department. While our faculty had already been engaging in impactful green chemistry efforts, much of the work was happening in silos, with individual faculty members working independently.

The turning point came when Cynthia formed a dedicated Green Chemistry Task Force—a small group of five faculty members who shared a passion for green chemistry. This task force became the foundation for uniting our department’s efforts and fostering collaboration. Cynthia’s leadership catalyzed committing to the GCC, and her advocacy was instrumental in bringing us together to embrace this initiative as a department.

The GCC has been pivotal in shifting Georgia Gwinnett Chemistry department’s approach to green chemistry from fragmented efforts to a cohesive and collaborative mission. It has allowed us to amplify the impact of our work, and I’m incredibly proud to have been part of this transformative journey. I look forward to hearing more stories like these as part of the Beyond Benign staff.

What impacts did you see — or what changes were implemented — after bringing the GCC to Georgia Gwinett College’s Chemistry Department?

Signing the GCC was a transformative milestone for our chemistry department – we were the first institution in Georgia to sign the GCC! It made us eligible for funding opportunities, such as a higher education grant from MilliporeSigma, and empowered us to advance our green chemistry journey in meaningful ways. With the support of the GCC, we were able to develop green chemistry materials, including a dedicated course, present our departmental journey at national conferences, and spread awareness about green chemistry initiatives across our campus (to both faculty and students).

Perhaps most importantly, the GCC connected us with a broader network of like-minded institutions and individuals who share our passion for green chemistry, inspiring further collaboration and growth. Now that I am with Beyond Benign, I can’t wait to hear about all the great work from those initial efforts.

Why would you recommend the GCC program to department chairs at other higher education institutions?

As a former department chair, I highly recommend the GCC program to my fellow chemistry department chairs. The program provides a wide range of internal and external benefits that can elevate your department and create systemic, lasting change in chemistry education. Beyond increasing visibility for your department, the GCC fosters the expansion of a global community of green chemists, opens doors to funding opportunities, strengthens connections to job prospects, and enhances the resources available to your faculty and students.

At Georgia Gwinnett College, joining the GCC transformed our department’s approach to green chemistry. For example, through the GCC, we gained access to a Higher Education Award funded by MilliporeSigma. This grant enabled us to develop a yearlong program to promote green chemistry across our campus and support faculty in learning to incorporate green chemistry principles into their teaching. These funding opportunities can provide invaluable resources for departments looking to make a meaningful impact in green chemistry education.

The benefits of the GCC extend far beyond faculty development; it empowers students with the knowledge and skills they need to succeed. Learning green chemistry is essential for students because it represents the future of chemistry—chemistry that is safer, more sustainable, and aligned with global challenges. Integrating green chemistry into your curriculum prepares your students to be more competitive for graduate programs and industry positions while helping them see the critical connection between chemistry and sustainability.

New American Chemistry Society (ACS) guidelines further underscore the importance of green chemistry by requiring ACS-approved programs to include the 12 Principles of Green Chemistry in undergraduate curricula. The GCC program is an excellent way to ensure your department stays ahead of these changes and remains a leader in chemistry education. Beyond Benign is here to help, offering a wealth of resources to support chemistry programs implementing green chemistry principles and fostering a more sustainable approach to chemistry. For those looking to add to their department’s green chemistry expertise, Beyond Benign’s Green Chemistry Teaching and Learning Community (GCTLC) is an excellent and accessible resource. This online community connects educators with resources, tools, and a network of professionals who can help guide your department in its green chemistry journey.

Whether you already have expertise in green chemistry or are just beginning to explore this field, the GCC connects faculty and students alike in learning, growing, and adopting green chemistry principles. Ultimately, the GCC equips your department to be at the forefront of a movement reshaping chemistry education. It’s an opportunity to make a lasting impact on your department students and the broader chemistry community. Joining the GCC ensures that your department is part of a collective effort to build a more sustainable future through green chemistry.

What are your hopes for the future of green chemistry in education?

My vision for the future of green chemistry is that it becomes a cornerstone of chemistry education, not only in higher education but also in K-12 education. I believe green chemistry should be fully integrated into every level of the curriculum, from foundational science education in schools to advanced courses in universities. It should no longer be viewed as an elective or niche topic but embraced as a guiding framework for teaching and practicing chemistry.

In higher education, I see green chemistry becoming a fundamental part of core courses, research initiatives, and extracurricular activities. This integration will equip students with the tools to address the pressing environmental and societal challenges of the 21st century while enhancing their competitiveness for graduate programs and industry roles. Similarly, by introducing green chemistry concepts to K-12 educators and students, we can inspire young learners to see chemistry as a key to solving real-world sustainability issues and nurture an early interest in science that aligns with responsible and sustainable practices.

For K-12 education, I envision collaboration with educators to design (or redesign) age-appropriate, hands-on learning experiences that illustrate the principles of green chemistry. Organizations like Beyond Benign can play a crucial role by partnering with schools, providing resources, and offering professional development for teachers. By empowering K-12 educators to bring green chemistry into their classrooms, we can create a pipeline of environmentally conscious students who carry this mindset into higher education and beyond.

Another critical goal is fostering collaboration among educators, researchers, and industry partners to build a vibrant network for advancing green chemistry education. Programs such as the GCC and platforms like the GCTLC provide an excellent foundation for sharing resources, best practices, and innovative ideas. Expanding these initiatives to include the K-12 sector will broaden the impact and ensure the principles of green chemistry reach a more diverse audience.

Finally, I hope to see increased investment in faculty and educator development across all levels of education. This includes funding for curriculum development, access to professional development opportunities, and resources to support the adoption of green chemistry principles. When educators are equipped with the right tools and knowledge, they can inspire and empower their students to become leaders in sustainable science.

The future of green chemistry is bright, and its integration into both higher education and K-12 education will ensure a new generation of scientists and global citizens who prioritize sustainability in their personal and professional lives. With the continued efforts of passionate individuals, organizations like Beyond Benign, and academic institutions, we can drive meaningful change and make sustainability an intrinsic part of our collective scientific identity.

How to get involved:

Learn more about the Green Chemistry Commitment and how your higher education institution can join the movement.
Connect with Omar in the GCTLC to keep up with his work!
Subscribe to Beyond Benign’s newsletter to receive green chemistry news, resources, and opportunities directly to your inbox.

Meet The Beyond Benign Team: A Q&A With Dr. Omar Villanueva

January 27, 2025

Ask the Experts: Ways to Incorporate Green Chemistry in Your K-12 Classroom

January 16, 2025

Green chemistry provides a foundation for designing safer, more sustainable science lessons that inspire students to critically consider environmental and societal impacts. K-12 teachers who have integrated green chemistry principles into their classrooms demonstrate how gradual changes to labs and lessons can create engaging and meaningful learning experiences. These insights are drawn from blog posts by Beyond Benign Certified Lead Teachers.

Incorporating green chemistry into classroom activities can be transformative, but finding a starting point can feel daunting, especially amid the demands educators face. To help, we’ve compiled practical tips from K-12 teachers who are rethinking lab experiments, materials, and classroom practices. These updates not only promote sustainability but also create safer learning environments and encourage students to apply green principles in their everyday lives.

How can green chemistry principles help students think differently about the world around them and the planet’s future?

Richard Cooper of Sir Wilfrid Laurier Secondary School in London, Ontario, Canada, highlights how green chemistry labs enable students to develop practical, real-world skills while fostering a deeper understanding of sustainability and innovation.

As students learn proper lab techniques, we as teachers are not just simply teaching them how to measure accurately. We also help them learn that focus, practice, and determination are necessary traits for success both inside and outside the lab. These future material designers, supply chain managers, policymakers, captains of industry, and consumers need to understand the impact and connections between Economy, Environment, and Social Equity (3 E’s of sustainability).

Green chemistry and sustainability are essential concepts that help students become scientifically literate 21st-century global citizens. Providing an environment where students utilize key criteria of green chemistry, such as the cost, safety, and performance of products and processes, supports the development of critical thinking skills essential for success in the global economy. In this burgeoning online and global society, I believe that green chemistry and sustainable science could very well be the most relevant science we teach.

How can I use green chemistry in classes beyond chemistry?

Retired middle school teacher Gisele Rubino of World Academy in Nashua, New Hampshire, has used many green lessons and labs with students in her life and physical science courses.

Beyond Benign’s middle school curriculum consists of units dedicated to biotechnology, chemistry, and math and engineering. The Enrichment Materials section is designed for informal science educators teaching students at the middle school level. I have found that several of the lessons written for chemistry in this section can be easily adapted for both life science and earth science. For example, teaching my students about biomimicry — using the Introduction to Biomimicry and Advanced Biomimicry Matching Game — shows how inspiration from nature can be used to create viable innovations connecting form, function, technology, and engineering design. This is easily integrated into my adaptation lessons. Using real-world technology in the classroom helps to provide examples for my students of how designing with the principles of green chemistry is inherently safer, more cost-effective, and better performing than alternatives.

Science today needs to be taught with our future in mind. My involvement with Beyond Benign has allowed me to explore and develop a curriculum that will help future scientists. By incorporating a “green” curriculum, I feel that I am giving my students a starting point for their future endeavors. Hopefully, this will become a way of life, not just a lesson in science class.

What are some replacement labs you use that have green chemistry principles?

Cassidy Javner of Shakopee High School in Shakopee, Minnesota, says it’s important to find safer, sustainable alternatives to traditional, hazardous, and sometimes dangerous chemistry labs.

Open flames and “out of control” chemistry are not tolerated in industry, but there are still quite a few accidents as a result of these practices in the high school setting. Replacement labs teach the same concepts, skills, and knowledge but use equipment and chemicals that are safe for our students and the environment. If we can teach the same kinetics concepts using starch and Vitamin C, then why not? Replacement labs often involve materials available at drugstores or grocery stores, which makes materials easier to acquire and more familiar for students. It also can be powerful to discuss with students why you chose to switch to a more sustainable lab. (The Green Chemistry Teaching & Learning Community has many different replacement lab options for you to try or check out this starter list of labs to try.)

The first replacement lab that I used in my Honors Chemistry classroom was the Le Chatelier’s Principle lab, which replaced the traditional cobalt complex lab. According to the Safety Data Sheet (SDS), the cobalt compounds involved in the traditional lab are possible carcinogens and moderately toxic by ingestion; strict personal protective equipment is required when using this compound. The replacement lab has two equilibrium systems that students analyze.

Black Tea – H+ Complex: In this example, lemon juice (or vinegar) is used to increase the acidity of the solution, and household ammonia is used to increase the basicity of the solution.
Starch-Iodine Complex: In this example, a complex is first created using starch and tincture of iodine, and then the temperature is increased and decreased.

Through these examples, students saw how temperature and concentration affect the shifting of an equilibrium system, all while using non-toxic household products. This lab removes hazards for both students and teachers (minimizes hazardous waste disposal) yet still allows students to analyze color changes in equilibrium systems.

How do I integrate green chemistry into my Advanced Placement (AP) Chemistry course? And how can these techniques be applied in other classes?

Ann Lambert teaches AP Chemistry courses at King Philip Regional High School, Wrentham, Massachusetts.

As a teacher of AP Chemistry, I know how it is to be heavy on content and short on time. Those AP students, however, are likely to be future chemists, so we must instill in them an awareness of green chemistry and sustainability. Because students are typically passionate about environmental topics, and as the College Board has updated AP Chemistry labs to remove most of the problematic chemicals and guided inquiries, it is easy to weave green chemistry into your regular lessons. It is also important to remember that green chemistry is not a new branch of science, but rather a lens through which we teach and learn the chemistry principles that are in our existing curricula. This holds true both for a first-year course as well as AP Chemistry.

Throughout the year, I point out to students the “old way” that many labs were taught and ask them to identify how the “new way” is greener. For example, when we complete an analysis of alum lab, students find the formula of the hydrate by dehydration and identify the melting point. Then, instead of having students precipitate out the sulfate using a Barium salt solution, I use a YouTube video that demonstrates the precipitation reaction. As a follow-up, they watch a video of a Barium swallow diagnostic test. I ask students to identify and explain, using the SDS, why we are not working with Barium salts in the high school and discuss why the Barium swallow is a safe and very important medical diagnostic tool. To give students the calculation practice the precipitation provides, I give them a set of data. This is just one example of how I weave green chemistry into my daily curricula.

At the end of the year, after the AP exam, I have each student select a Presidential Green Chemistry Challenge Award-winning project and research it alongside the product or process it replaced. Each student creates a presentation that is given to the class. I have had students tell me that this activity was the aha! moment that tipped them toward deciding to pursue chemistry or chemical engineering in college!

Can you provide a few examples of high school labs that use green chemistry principles?

Stephen Costanza and Dana Wadnola of Whitesboro High School in Marcy, New York, explain how they transform traditional labs and activities to illustrate green chemistry principles.

In some cases, simply replacing one chemical with another is enough. In other cases, we look for different activities that cover the same sections of the curriculum. That includes testing several established labs with students. In the Sharklet lab, students explore Sharklet film, an innovation based on shark skin that prevents the growth of bacteria on surfaces. As the students did the simulation, they became so engaged that they did not want to go to their next class. They continued adding more and more clips to see how many could be held. It was a fun way for them to learn how chemistry ties into materials science and engineering. Seeing this high level of engagement was very rewarding for us.

In addition to the high school resources, we used community engagement activities such as the biomimicry matching game and the green glue activity. The biomimicry matching game involves matching specific animals with potential products inspired by the animals’ characteristics. This was a favorite of our students, especially because they were able to make a connection between biology and chemistry that they never knew existed. The green glue activity challenged students to create two types of glue and evaluate them based on green chemistry criteria. This was fun for them because it involved simple ingredients they could purchase at any market (powdered milk, vinegar, and baking soda), and they also could figure out what was happening because they were familiar with the materials.

Similarly, LeChatelier’s principle equilibrium lab that uses tea, starch, and iodine led to a similar amount of interest. Students were able to see obvious color changes, using materials they have known for years rather than the carcinogenic chromate/dichromate equilibrium that many teachers have used. Whether the color change is from yellow to orange or from tan to dark brown, the principles are the same, yet students are not exposed to harmful materials. In addition, by using store-bought materials, students may be interested in trying other objects they have at home to see if similar changes take place.

These labs are great examples of what it means to make a chemistry classroom “green.” Students use materials they know, and the labs and activities are engaging. Our number one goal as teachers is to help our students succeed in class and their futures, but they should also enjoy what they are learning. Making our classes “greener” can give our students outlets to further explore these concepts outside of school.

How can I engage my high school chemistry students at the start of the year while introducing green chemistry?

Raksmey Derival of Innovation Academy Charter School in Tyngsborough, Massachusetts, shares how she uses a three-part “game” to help students learn lab techniques and aspects of green chemistry — and have some fun in the process.

How many students walk into your chemistry class at the start of the year already hesitant because of chemistry’s reputation of being “boring” or “too hard”? I try to overcome these obstacles by challenging students at the start of the year with a “game” that requires creative and innovative ideas as they learn the chemistry of making glue.

Students are presented with a 26-step procedure for making glue and asked to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the process over three days. My lesson expands on Writing the 12 Principles, which introduces many laboratory techniques students will use throughout the year, like measurements and properly mixing solutions.

During day 1, students collaborate as a class. Each student is given one step from the procedure to read aloud and perform in front of their classmates. The “original” procedure includes normal laboratory techniques alongside silly tasks, like doing 20 jumping jacks. As they work through the procedure, the students easily recognize that many of the steps are unnecessary.

That’s when I inform students that they were given a procedure with extra steps. After a review of the chemistry concepts and some guidance on which materials must be included, students revise and rewrite the procedure to make it more efficient. Day 2 allows students to test their “revised” procedures. Each item they use, and the amount of every chemical they use, is tallied to come up with a score. The lab team that has the lowest score (most efficient) while still creating a glue that works (it’s effective) is declared the winner.

After identifying the winners and debriefing what groups did to use fewer materials to make glue, light bulbs go off on what they can do differently to obtain a lower score. Students are told they can try the challenge again on day 3. Again, they revise the procedure and test out their now-“optimized” process. This is when the students become really engaged! Students enjoy the competitive nature of the lab and start thinking really creatively! After all groups test their optimized procedures, most have successfully made glue in a much more efficient manner than day 1’s original procedure and have even demonstrated increased efficiency from day 2’s revised procedure.

This all naturally leads to a conversation about how they practiced green chemistry without even being introduced to its definition and principles! I use examples from their procedures to showcase how they prevented waste, designed for energy efficiency, increased atom economy, and supported several other green chemistry principles. Likewise, I discuss how other principles were violated during those days. I then build upon this activity by having the students rewrite the 12 Principles using more student-friendly language. With this foundation set, students see that they can invent, fail, invent some more, and repeat this process until they succeed, all through the lens of green chemistry.

There is a Lemonade Lab – Writing the Principles that you can check out, too!

How to Get Involved:

Attend our monthly interactive webinar series, Observe, Wonder, Think, to collaborate with your peers and get the support you need to bring green chemistry principles into your classroom.
Join the Green Chemistry Teaching & Learning Community to connect with the community, access resources, and engage in forums specifically for K-12 educators.
Subscribe to Beyond Benign’s newsletter to receive updates, opportunities, and inspiration directly to your inbox.
Explore free, downloadable lessons for all grade levels.

Ask the Experts: Ways to Incorporate Green Chemistry in Your K-12 Classroom

January 16, 2025

2024 Community Grant Fund Winners: Driving Impact Through Green Chemistry

December 3, 2024

Last year, our generous and dedicated community members funded our inaugural Community Grant Awards. The innovative green chemistry projects funded this past year were diverse and inspiring, and each was designed to make an impact on students for years to come. From professional development workshops for middle and high school teachers to symposiums and student awards focused on sustainability, these initiatives are set to make lasting change.

We would like to extend gratitude to all the community members who supported these awards.

As stated by one of our 2024 winners:

“It is awards like this that allow us to train our future sustainability leaders, both through the green chemistry knowledge shared, and the institutional knowledge passed on to junior colleagues. Together we build innovative communities that will continue to meet our global sustainability challenges”.

Marissa L. Clapson, PhD. (She/Her), Assistant Professor – Inorganic Chemistry, University of Prince Edward Island

2024 Community Grant Award Winners – Project Highlights

Title: “Waving the Green Flag”

Lead Facilitator: Marissa Clapson, Assistant Professor, University of Prince Edward Island

Co-Organizers: Emma Davy, Educator Specialist (University of British Columbia), Julia Pitsiaeli, BSc. Student (University of British Columbia), Shauna Schetchel, PhD Candidate (Queen’s University), Greg Bannard, PhD Candidate (University of Windsor), Jasmine Hong, PhD Candidate (McGill University), Gagan Daliaho, PhD Candidate (McGill University), Connor Durfy, Research Associate (Western University).

Project Description & update:

The symposium “Waving the Green Flag” will be held at the CSC Conference as a half-day session on Thursday, June 5th. Building on the success of our green chemistry education symposium last year, this project uses a nontraditional symposium model to facilitate education and open discussion about green chemistry principles, acting as a resource for participants to implement current sustainable principles into chemistry education and inorganic chemistry research.

The Community Grant Award allowed us to not only host an incredible interactive symposium on green chemistry and sustainability as it relates to inorganic chemistry but gave us the opportunity to challenge the traditional chemistry conference format (lectures). Together we developed three hands-on activities and games to teach attendees about key components of sustainability and green metrics, creating a unique opportunity for community learning and discussion. Additionally, this symposium allowed junior organizers (undergraduates, graduates, and early career professionals) to develop essential skills in research dissemination, event development, and teaching. Junior organizers reported a stronger sense of self-efficacy, research confidence, and self of belonging within the community after participating. Following the conference, we have submitted an article summarizing the activities and outcomes for future green chemistry educators. Similarly, several organizers have stayed involved in green chemistry initiatives: Jamine Hong and Gagan Daliaho are organizers of the green chemistry conversations being hosted in conjunction with Beyond Benign and Greg Bannard now serves as an executive member of the Chemical Institute of Canada (CIC) Green Division.

Title: “MnCOSE Green Chemistry Workshop”

Lead Facilitator: Cassie Knutson Lydon, Cassie Javner, JaneWissinger

Project Description and Update:

On November 2, 2024, during Minnesota Science Teachers Association (MnSTA)’s Minnesota Conference on Science Education (MnCOSE) conference, we hosted a 2.5-hour workshop with 12 participants, focusing on how to engage students through the lens of green and sustainable chemistry.

During the session, participants had the opportunity to conduct hands-on experiments, including replacement experiments on equilibrium, types of reactions, and rates of reactions, as well as sustainable plastics experiments like Make It Break It and Edible Capsules. Throughout the workshop, we highlighted resources from Beyond Benign, including the website, materials (specifically the replacement labs and the modules), the online course, and the Green Chemistry Teaching and Learning Community (GCTLC).

We received highly positive feedback from the participants, particularly regarding the practical, classroom-ready nature of the content. They expressed great appreciation for the ability to take immediate, actionable ideas and activities back to their classrooms. Thank you for the opportunity to share these valuable resources and experiences!

Title: Professional Development: “It’s Easy Being Green”

Lead Facilitator: Maria Danielle Garrett, Associate Professor of Chemistry Education at Belmont University

Project Description:

The ultimate goal of this program is to expand a sustainable green chemistry workshop series: “It’s Easy Being Green: Budget-Friendly Safety-Conscious Chemistry Labs for the Secondary Science Classroom of Today” – a free professional development program for physical science and chemistry middle school and high school science teachers. Not only does this program provide science teachers with new ideas that they can affordably incorporate into their classroom, but it also has the potential to provide both teachers and their students with the basic skills to “think green” – providing them with new eco-friendly ways of addressing problem-solving in chemistry both within and outside the classroom.

Receiving the Beyond Benign Community Grant Award has allowed me to work towards expanding my vision and the reach of my programming in so many different ways. Not only am I able to start offering a new additional workshop in the spring, but this expansion will lead to the development of an accessible and interactive online resource bank for green chemistry topics and classroom applications – where teachers can network and share their ideas. The Community Grant Award has also helped me to expand my undergraduate research line “Going Green in Secondary Chemistry Education” – not only by promoting research goals that relatable and meaningful to students but also by providing them the opportunity to engage in being a part of the workshop itself and seeing the impact and practical implementation of the types of projects on which they are working.

Currently I’m working on finishing the prototype for a spectroscope for part of the lab activity (determining the wavelength of an LED). Participants will build a spectroscope that will allow for quantitative measurements. Additionally, their spectroscope will have several built-in LED light sources. I have also recruited several undergraduate students interested in working as lab assistants for this professional development workshop offering, which will be held in March 2025.

Title: “IACS Sustainable STEM Innovation award”

Lead Facilitator: Raks Derival, Innovation Academy Charter School

Project Description:

This award was created to celebrate the lasting impact of the Class of 2018’s Marissa “Missy” Spera for her passion for green chemistry and protecting the planet. Missy is a standout science student passionate about people and the planet. The student receiving the IACS Sustainable STEM Innovation Award embodies the spirit of the award through their dedication to the community and enthusiasm for science and sustainability.

This year’s award went to High School Senior Richeervy Eng. Richeervy not only excels in the lab but also looks beyond the beaker to the people and environment who are affected by chemicals. For an honors project, this student created safer personal care products not only for themself but also for their loved ones and for members of an often overlooked and historically excluded community. This student spent many weeks in the lab creating new products that are made for People of Color, such as lotions, soaps, and hair masks for the Cambodian community. They designed products to be safe, affordable, and perform well while also preventing waste and designing products to degrade safely in the environment — all key principles and criteria of green chemistry.

Title: “Innovating Lab Equipment”

Lead Facilitator: John Canal, Simon Fraser University (SFU)

Project Description and Update:

The project presents an opportunity to instill in students a mindset geared towards sustainable practices in chemistry, with a particular focus on green chemistry solutions. Embedded within our inorganic curriculum, this educational initiative encourages students to evaluate established experiments through the lens of green chemistry principles and propose enhancements. These enhancements, aimed at minimizing environmental impact, are then integrated into the experimental procedures.

Among the innovations pursued are solventless reactions and the substitution of hazardous solvents with eco-friendly alternatives. Additionally, we aim to introduce students and faculty members to the benefits of waterless condensers. By embracing such technologies, we not only advance sustainability goals but also cultivate a deeper understanding of the resource-intensive nature of conventional chemical syntheses.

We are delighted to report the successful testing and implementation of the waterless condensers our department. With overwhelming enthusiasm, our undergraduate students in a second year Inorganic lab course tested the four prototypes under various conditions. Given the course’s emphasis on green chemistry principles, students needed no convincing to try out the new condensers and they were eager to discuss the advantages of using the waterless condensers over the traditional models employed in the course. This experience inspired them to identify other aspects of the course that require innovation, and they are now willingly suggest further innovations for the course. Colleagues have found this experience inspiring and has had a very positive effect on our Inorganic lab course. We are now considering testing these condensers for our Organic Chemistry course and broader use for the Inorganic chemistry lab courses.

We are deeply appreciative of your support without which this initiative would never have been feasible.

2024 Community Grant Fund Winners: Driving Impact Through Green Chemistry

December 3, 2024

Sustainability Leader Ann Lee-Jeffs Brings Decades of Experience to Beyond Benign’s Board of Directors

November 20, 2024

Introducing Ann Lee-Jeffs, the newest member of Beyond Benign’s Executive Board! With nearly 40 years of experience leading sustainability initiatives at companies like Colgate Palmolive, Pfizer, Johnson & Johnson, and Teva Pharmaceuticals, Ann is an innovative leader in advancing green chemistry and healthcare plastic recycling. Ann’s journey reflects a profound commitment to environmental sustainability, evident not only through her corporate achievements but also through her founding of the Sustainability Women in the World (SW2) movement, which empowers women leaders in sustainability globally.

As she joins Beyond Benign’s Executive Board, Ann brings a wealth of knowledge and a unique perspective on sustainable chemistry. Beyond Benign caught up with Ann to discuss her career journey, her dedication to green chemistry, and her vision for how sustainability can drive meaningful change in industry and education as we enter the era of the Artificial Intelligence revolution. Read on to learn more about Ann’s impactful work and her inspiring outlook on the future of sustainable chemistry!

First, we’d love to hear about your career journey and the passions that have driven you! What inspired you to focus on sustainability, and how did that lead you to green chemistry?

I have always been moved and motivated by my family and friends who go out of their way to do things to help me and others. Starting at a young age, I was driven, curious, and motivated by taking on the hardest challenges that I believed I could handle. Becoming a chemical engineer, which was encouraged by my mom, was one of the challenges I took on—and it was one of my hardest and proud accomplishments. As a chemical engineer, I had an opportunity to work for several multinational companies, including Colgate Palmolive, Pfizer, Johnson & Johnson, and Teva Pharmaceuticals, to help them become leaders in sustainability and green chemistry. Green chemistry is an innovation platform for sustainability. Many companies have practices related to green chemistry—utilizing principles to minimize waste or emissions—the key is leveraging those practices for innovation.

During my time with Pfizer, I was a leader of the green chemistry movement and was involved in establishing the ACS Green Chemistry Institute Pharmaceutical Roundtable. There, I led work to help them recognize green chemistry as a platform for not only increasing the efficiency of drug development but also innovating the process. This resulted in both top and bottom-line growth. I took this experience and applied it at Johnson & Johnson to integrate green chemistry across their 200+ family of companies.

Before joining the Beyond Benign Board, you founded the Sustainability Women in the World (SW2) movement. How did your work at SW2 help shape your approach to sustainability leadership?

Leading sustainability at Teva Pharmaceuticals and Modern Meadow, I navigated the shift from seeing sustainability as an opportunity to a risk-focused necessity. Founding SW2 was about empowering women executives to lead with innovation in sustainability, which is especially important as we face the transformative challenges and opportunities of the AI revolution. SW2 activates the power of women executives in sustainability to bring about a tide that helps all sustainability leaders facing this crossroads—ensuring that this key growth innovation platform remains and we can continue aligning our work for the good of the planet and the health of people.

As someone with extensive experience in corporate sustainability, what do you see as the most significant challenges and opportunities for the green chemistry movement in the next decade?

The primary challenge and opportunity for green chemistry is to evolve from a scientific to a business movement, gaining traction among CEOs, investors, consumers, policymakers, and sustainability officers.

What drew you to join the Beyond Benign Board of Directors? How do you see your background in sustainability and green chemistry contributing to the organization’s vision and goals?

Having advocated for green chemistry for over 20 years, joining Beyond Benign was a natural step. I aim to help expand the organization’s reach and impact and connect the sustainability and green chemistry communities more closely. As such, I am very excited about connecting the dots between green chemistry and sustainability to bring the two communities closer together.

In your career, you’ve launched several industry roundtables. How do you think Beyond Benign’s focus on education and green chemistry can benefit collaborative industry efforts like those?

We are what we teach. Education shapes our future workforce, which is crucial as we still face gaps in innovation and sustainability skills. Beyond Benign’s role in educating from elementary to graduate levels is pivotal. I see an opportunity for Beyond Benign to lead collaboration between the industrial and academic sectors to develop education that aligns with modern needs in innovation and sustainability.

How to get involved:

Join the Green Chemistry Teaching and Learning Community (GCTLC) to connect with your peers in a collaborative environment focused on green chemistry education.
Subscribe to Beyond Benign’s newsletter to get green chemistry news, resources, and inspiration delivered to your inbox monthly.

Sustainability Leader Ann Lee-Jeffs Brings Decades of Experience to Beyond Benign’s Board of Directors

November 20, 2024

Driving Green Chemistry in Brazil with Beyond Benign: The Inspiring Journey of Cintia Milagre

November 20, 2024

Cintia Milagre’s story is one of passion, persistence, and vision—transforming her deep interest in green chemistry into supporting a movement that is reshaping education in Brazil. Empowered by Beyond Benign and the Green Chemistry Commitment (GCC), she has not only transformed her own institution but is also helping to build a network of educators across Brazil dedicated to sustainability in chemistry education.

Cintia’s journey began in the early 2000s during her master’s thesis on biocatalysis. Under the mentorship of Professors José Rodrigues and Anita Marsaioli—Cintia’s post-doc advisor and a major green chemistry influence—her research intersected with the groundbreaking work of Professor Roger Sheldon’s team at TU Delft, known for the E-factor metric. This experience laid the foundation for her interest in green chemistry.

Her green chemistry focus deepened when she joined Professor Isabel Arends’ Biocatalysis and Organic Chemistry (BOC) group, continuing collaborations with folks from TU Delft. By 2012, as an assistant professor at the Institute of Chemistry at UNESP, Cintia launched her independent research on biocatalysis and green chemistry—breaking new ground in her department, where green chemistry was limited to analytical chemistry.

A turning point came in 2019 when Cintia attended a workshop led by green chemistry pioneer and Beyond Benign Co-Founder John Warner. There, she was introduced to Beyond Benign’s Green Chemistry Commitment (GCC)—an initiative providing support and a proven framework for integrating green chemistry principles into education. Inspired by this program and its community-driven approach, she saw how the GCC could transform not only her institution but also create a ripple effect across Brazil.

Bringing the Green Chemistry Commitment to Brazil

Determined to lead the way, Cintia persuaded São Paulo State University – UNESP to become the first institution in Brazil to join the GCC, setting a powerful precedent. With Beyond Benign’s support and guidance, she leveraged the GCC program to bring systemic change to her university’s curriculum, promote the application of green chemistry principles and practices, and inspire colleagues to adopt similar approaches.

Her efforts didn’t stop there; Cintia inspired more institutions across the country to join the GCC. Today, the network comprises 14 Brazilian universities. This national movement was amplified by her connection to Beyond Benign’s global community, where she could share experiences, gather resources, and adapt strategies that resonated with the unique needs of Brazilian educators and students.

Cintia was invited to share her work with the community through open-access publications and also by speaking in webinars organized by Beyond Benign and its partners, such as the ‘E-waste Management in Brazil’ webinar, organized with the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) and its Committee on Chemical Research Applied to World Needs (CHEMRAWN). During the last year, Cintia was able to amplify her international network by being a co-organizer of the Green Chemistry Connections, monthly virtual events organized by Beyond Benign to promote collaboration, resource-sharing, discussions and promote the development of a community of practice around green chemistry.

Empowered by these opportunities, Cintia has helped to support others, including the Latin American community, by becoming an organizer for the green chemistry category for the LatinXChem conference (LatinXChemGreen in partnership with Beyond Benign). Through her work as a GCC Ambassador, Cintia started advocating for the GCC program in Brazil, Latin America, and then globally.

Cintia’s advocacy has established her as a leading ambassador for green chemistry in Brazil. Beyond Benign’s resources and network provided support for her work, helping her institutionalize green chemistry principles and encouraging educators nationwide to rethink their approach to chemistry curricula.

Through the GCC, Cintia reimagined the curriculum at her institution, embedding green chemistry as a module in a mandatory first-year course. The community of GCC institutions offered insights and shared practices that allowed her to shape a program tailored to her students and faculty.

This institutional shift has had widespread ripple effects. Students are applying green chemistry principles in internships and careers, influencing discussions on sustainability in the chemical industry. Her former PhD and MSc students now teach green chemistry in higher education at the K-12 levels. Inspired by Cintia’s work, students at her institution have even organized a Sustainable Chemistry chapter to further promote these values.

Reflecting on the GCC’s impact, Cintia notes, “We can move faster because more people—professors, staff, technicians, employees, students—are involved and committed to making the chemistry developed and carried out in our institute greener.”

Building a Network for a Greener Future

Cintia’s work extends far beyond her institution. With Beyond Benign’s support, she has fostered collaborations among educators, researchers, and industry professionals, building a robust green chemistry network in Brazil. This connection to Beyond Benign’s international community has enriched her efforts, creating opportunities for shared resources, knowledge, and innovations.

Through this global network, Cintia has been able to amplify her impact, aligning Brazil’s green chemistry movement with broader international goals. Her work is a testament to how partnerships and community-driven programs and initiatives like the GCC can empower individual leaders to drive systemic change.

Cintia’s journey highlights the power of one individual working within a supportive global community to drive systemic change. By institutionalizing green chemistry principles, inspiring students and colleagues, and forging connections nationwide, she is paving the way for a greener future in education and industry alike.

Her story serves as a powerful reminder that green chemistry is not just an academic ideal—it is a practical, essential pathway toward a more sustainable world. Through her leadership, collaboration with Beyond Benign, and advocacy, Cintia continues to nurture the next generation of green chemistry leaders and innovators.

Cintia is one of hundreds of green chemistry leaders who Beyond Benign is proud to support and collaborate with worldwide. This work is made possible by the generosity of our community. Together, we can continue empowering educators and institutions to create a more sustainable future. Join us in this mission by making a donation today.

Driving Green Chemistry in Brazil with Beyond Benign: The Inspiring Journey of Cintia Milagre

November 20, 2024

New Green Chemistry Case Study Provides an Education Tool to Address PFAS and Hazardous Chemicals

November 20, 2024

Beyond Benign and the New York State Pollution Prevention Institute (NYSP2I) have collaborated to create a new educational resource exploring the chemistry and toxicology of hazardous chemicals, specifically focusing on PFAS as a fume suppressant. Using the metal plating industry as a case study, the module, titled “Exploring Sustainable Practices in Metal Plating: The Drive for Greener Innovations,” highlights how NYSP2I helped a metal plating company in New York utilize a greener alternative to a PFAS-based fume suppressant.

“This case study module highlights the need for constant innovation in materials and for training molecular designers to anticipate the toxicological impacts of chemicals produced and used as side products within production practices,” says Monica Soma Hensley, Higher Education Content Manager at Beyond Benign. “It spotlights the need for a greener viewpoint to the materials of the world.”

This resource, available in the Green Chemistry Teaching and Learning Community, is ideal for use in introductory-level college chemistry courses. To celebrate the module’s release, Beyond Benign caught up with three community members who collaborated to bring it to life. The team included two professors from Green Chemistry Commitment-signing institutions in New York: Jihyun Kim, Associate Professor of Chemistry at Stella and Charles Guttman Community College, and Hun Bok Jung, Assistant Professor of Chemistry at Kingsborough Community College. Additionally, Sarah Briggs, a research scientist and Program Manager of Emerging Contaminants and Green Chemistry at NYSP2I, provided information on the metal plating industry and outlined how NYSP2I worked with the local plating company featured in the case study to implement green chemistry technology.

Continue reading to learn more about the creation of this educational tool, which highlights the interplay of chemical, environmental health, regulatory, and business considerations in chemical processes and product design.

First, please tell us about yourselves and your connection to green chemistry.

Jihyun Kim: My experience with green chemistry began during the COVID-19 pandemic when we started planning to offer organic chemistry courses at Stella and Charles Guttman Community College. Unfortunately, limited funding and lab space prevented us from offering the organic chemistry lab. This challenge led me to explore how green chemistry principles could be incorporated into organic chemistry instruction. I focused on using non-toxic and eco-friendly chemicals, ensuring students could safely perform lab activities without compromising the environment or their health.

Hun Bok Jung: My background is in Environmental Geochemistry, and my research has focused on various environmental topics, including the pollution of surface water, groundwater, and soil by heavy metals, radionuclides, and nutrients, as well as geologic carbon sequestration and enhanced geothermal systems. Currently, I am an Assistant Professor at Kingsborough Community College, where I teach general chemistry courses. I have also taught various courses in environmental science and sustainability at my previous institution, New Jersey City University. I am interested in integrating green chemistry education into my general chemistry courses and have implemented some hands-on activities on green chemistry in my classes in recent semesters.

Sarah Briggs: I am the manager of the Green Chemistry and Emerging Contaminants program at the New York State Pollution Prevention Institute (NYSP2I). Our program partners with Beyond Benign to support the development of a green chemistry educational community throughout New York State. Prior to working at NYSP2I, I worked in both K-12 education and academia, and I can speak to the importance of teaching green chemistry firsthand. Additionally, my work at NYSP2I has also exposed me to industry and policy perspectives as we work with the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation and local businesses to reduce pollution and implement the principles of green chemistry as widely as possible.

What was your experience like developing the case study? Why is this resource study valuable?

Jihyun Kim: My current research focuses on understanding the cause-and-effect relationship between PFAS exposure and mental health, so I am quite familiar with the broader issues surrounding PFAS. However, I had limited knowledge about its use in the metal plating industry. When Beyond Benign approached me to develop a case study on PFAS, I was excited about the opportunity to deepen my understanding of the topic and to share this knowledge with other educators. This project allowed me to expand my expertise and contribute to the growing conversation on PFAS and its environmental impact.

Hun Bok Jung: It was somewhat challenging but rewarding in the end. Although it took considerable time and effort to find and collect the references for this case study, I have learned a lot about the PFAS issues in the metal plating industry and greener alternatives while preparing the case study. I sincerely appreciate all the contributions from each of our team members, and it was a wonderful experience of collaboration. I believe that this case study will be a valuable educational resource for educators teaching general chemistry, organic chemistry, or environmental science courses because it illustrates how green chemistry principles can be integrated into industrial operations and help to develop and implement greener alternatives to harmful and hazardous processes and products, and thus contribute to a more sustainable industry. In general, there is a gap between classroom knowledge and real-world applications, but case studies like this one can fill the gap and help students be better prepared for their future careers.

Sarah Briggs: Ji and Hun Bok were absolutely amazing collaborators for this case study. They immediately jumped into the project and offered valuable perspectives on how best to present the information to students. This case study would not exist without their efforts. What makes this case study valuable is the way in which Ji and Hun Bok were able to translate a very niche topic, PFAS use in chrome metal plating, and make it accessible to students so they can learn about a real-life application of green chemistry.

Can you tell us about the key content and organization of this case study? How has your experience shaped its design?

Jihyun Kim: My primary focus in PFAS research has been on the health impacts of PFAS exposure. In addition to studying these effects, I am dedicated to incorporating green chemistry principles to develop safer, more sustainable alternatives to PFAS. This approach not only addresses health concerns but also promotes environmentally friendly solutions in place of harmful chemicals.

Hun Bok Jung: This case study consists of two main modules. While the first module covers the chemical properties and industrial applications of PFAS in the metal plating industry and their chemical, environmental, and health impacts, as well as various PFAS alternatives, the second module focuses on considerations for designing greener alternatives to PFAS-fume suppressants for the metal plating industry, integration of green chemistry principles in developing greener alternatives, and the implementation of a PFAS-free alternative by a New York State local metal plating company. While teaching science courses for more than a decade in higher education institutions, I realized that classroom learning is often disconnected from real-world applications. I hope that students can learn not only how to understand the problems and issues (e.g., harmful impacts of PFAS) but also how to design and implement practical and sustainable solutions (e.g., PFAS-free fume suppressants) through real-world examples in this case study.

Sarah Briggs: My main contributions to the case study were focused on the details of the direct assistance project between NYSP2I and the local plating company that switched from using a PFAS-based fume suppressant to a non-PFAS product. I also helped reach out to the manufacturer of the fume suppressants, Atotech, to get their perspective on the development of the non-PFAS product. Our work at NYSP2I is focused on helping to increase the sustainability of industries and municipalities across New York State, and bringing that perspective to the case study will hopefully motivate students to want to make contributions to sustainability in whatever field they choose to pursue.

How do you envision your fellow educators adapting and implementing this resource in their classrooms? What impact do you hope it will have on their teaching?

Jihyun Kim: I envision my fellow educators using this resource to deepen their understanding of PFAS and its impact on both human health and the environment, particularly within the context of green chemistry. By incorporating this case study into their classrooms, educators can engage students with real-world challenges and inspire critical thinking about sustainable practices in science. The resource provides an opportunity for teachers to integrate green chemistry principles into their curriculum, encouraging students to consider safer, eco-friendly alternatives to harmful chemicals like PFAS.

Hun Bok Jung: This case study can be implemented in various science courses, including general chemistry, organic chemistry, and environmental science courses. These case study modules are designed to take approximately three hours to complete, but instructors can adjust the length depending on their teaching schedule. I think this case study will increase students’ interest in green chemistry-related careers and provide an important opportunity to learn about the real-world applications of green chemistry principles. I hope this case study provides chemistry and science instructors with effective learning resources that can bridge the gap between classroom learning and real-world applications.

What prompted the collaboration between NYSP2I and Beyond Benign to develop this case study? Why is this partnership important?

Sarah Briggs: We pursued this case study to highlight the interplay between companies, policy, and non-governmental organizations (like NYSP2I) in implementing green chemistry solutions. While green chemistry itself is a science, transitioning existing technologies to new, green technologies is a truly multidisciplinary effort that requires companies, regulators, and researchers to work together, and we felt this case study was a perfect example of that. Just like the partnerships we highlighted in the case study itself, the partnership between NYSP2I and Beyond Benign was invaluable because we created a sum greater than its parts by working together. NYSP2I may have been able to share its experience working with the company, but our organization does not have the educational expertise and resources to translate that work into a meaningful pedagogical tool for the green chemistry community. With the help of Beyond Benign and their partner educators, we were able to combine their teaching expertise and our practical experience to create a product that will convey the realities of implementing green technologies to students in a real, tangible way.

Get Involved

To access this case study module and other educational resources, including The Olin Chemical Superfund Site Case Study and the ChemFORWARD Module, join the Green Chemistry Teaching and Learning Community
Learn how to adapt and implement this module in your courses! Attend a workshop on January 16th, 2025.
Subscribe to Beyond Benign’s newsletter to receive green chemistry news, opportunities, and resources directly to your inbox.
Are you a K-12 teacher in New York? Check out our resource GREEN CHEMISTRY AND SUSTAINABLE SCIENCE: A Green Approach to Sustainable STEM in K-12, which is aligned with New York State Standards and has lessons for all levels, from elementary to high school.

New Green Chemistry Case Study Provides an Education Tool to Address PFAS and Hazardous Chemicals

November 20, 2024

Green Chemistry Education in the News:

Students Will Carry Lab Lessons Forward Into Their Careers

GCC Helps Students and Faculty Drive Change on Campus and Beyond

Learn more about other GCC signers:

As the newest member of the Beyond Benign team, we would love to hear about your journey to science and green chemistry. Can you share your educational and professional background?

How did your professional path lead you to your current role with Beyond Benign? Why were you interested in joining the team?

How did you learn about the Green Chemistry Commitment (GCC)? Why did Georgia Gwinnett College decide to sign the Commitment?

What impacts did you see — or what changes were implemented — after bringing the GCC to Georgia Gwinett College’s Chemistry Department?

Why would you recommend the GCC program to department chairs at other higher education institutions?

What are your hopes for the future of green chemistry in education?

How to get involved:

How can green chemistry principles help students think differently about the world around them and the planet’s future?

How can I use green chemistry in classes beyond chemistry?

What are some replacement labs you use that have green chemistry principles?

How do I integrate green chemistry into my Advanced Placement (AP) Chemistry course? And how can these techniques be applied in other classes?

Can you provide a few examples of high school labs that use green chemistry principles?

How can I engage my high school chemistry students at the start of the year while introducing green chemistry?

How to Get Involved:

First, we’d love to hear about your career journey and the passions that have driven you! What inspired you to focus on sustainability, and how did that lead you to green chemistry?

Before joining the Beyond Benign Board, you founded the Sustainability Women in the World (SW2) movement. How did your work at SW2 help shape your approach to sustainability leadership?

As someone with extensive experience in corporate sustainability, what do you see as the most significant challenges and opportunities for the green chemistry movement in the next decade?

What drew you to join the Beyond Benign Board of Directors? How do you see your background in sustainability and green chemistry contributing to the organization’s vision and goals?

In your career, you’ve launched several industry roundtables. How do you think Beyond Benign’s focus on education and green chemistry can benefit collaborative industry efforts like those?

How to get involved:

Bringing the Green Chemistry Commitment to Brazil

Building a Network for a Greener Future

First, please tell us about yourselves and your connection to green chemistry.

What was your experience like developing the case study? Why is this resource study valuable?

Can you tell us about the key content and organization of this case study? How has your experience shaped its design?

How do you envision your fellow educators adapting and implementing this resource in their classrooms? What impact do you hope it will have on their teaching?

What prompted the collaboration between NYSP2I and Beyond Benign to develop this case study? Why is this partnership important?

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