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“K-12 education is where the spark happens,” says Michelle Ernst Modera, Beyond Benign’s K-12 Community Engagement Manager. “If we want to build a strong pipeline of scientists, engineers, and citizens who understand sustainability at its core, we have to begin in those early classrooms.”

Michelle’s work focuses on building that foundation: connecting teachers with resources, training, and a supportive network to help them bring green chemistry to life for their students. With a background in education, sociology, and community engagement, she approaches her work through a relational lens—one shaped by her experience at the National Center for Race Amity, where she learned the power of “calling people in” to learn together.

At Beyond Benign, Michelle helps educators across the country find professional development opportunities, share ideas, and amplify the innovation already happening in classrooms. In the conversation below, she reflects on her path to Beyond Benign, the importance of community in advancing green chemistry, and why K-12 educators are such a vital part of the movement.

Why is K-12 education an important part of the larger green chemistry movement?

K-12 education is where curiosity begins. It’s where exploration and awareness start to take root, long before students ever choose a college major or a career path. If we want to build a strong pipeline of scientists, engineers, and citizens who understand sustainability at its core, we have to begin in those early classrooms.

When students learn to see chemistry as something connected to their lives and communities—something that can solve real-world problems—it changes everything. They carry that mindset into higher education and the workforce, and that’s how long-term change happens.

The challenge is that funding for K-12 programs is much harder to come by. There’s a lot of energy around green chemistry in higher education and industry, but those early opportunities for teachers and students often get overlooked. It’s frustrating because this is the foundation. Without it, we’re missing the very beginning of the story. That’s why so much of my focus is on helping people see how vital K-12 education is to the bigger picture of advancing green chemistry.

What first drew you to education and community engagement, and how did that path lead you to Beyond Benign?

I came into this work through community engagement. I returned to school to pursue my M.Ed. and accepted a fellowship with Beyond Benign. I was originally slotted to help with development, but the K-12 director and program manager moved on around the same time. I started working more closely with the Beyond Benign team, and they encouraged me to take the lead and actually run parts of the program.

What made it click was the culture here. Beyond Benign is unusually transparent and humble. I could reach out to anyone and be genuinely heard. It took me a moment to find my footing as one of the few non-chemists on the team. But my background in community engagement turned out to be very useful for the work we do: building relationships with educators, understanding their reality in the classroom, and creating spaces where people feel invited in to learn together, share their innovative approaches to teaching, and keep contributing over time.

At the heart of it, I’m driven by a love of learning, collaboration,  and innovation, and this role lets me use everything I’ve done before while still learning continually in a new field.

You previously worked with the National Center for Race Amity. How does that ‘call people in’ approach shape your work with educators?

Working at the National Center for Race Amity (NCRA) shaped a great deal of how I think about community engagement. The organization taught me the importance of accompaniment—walking alongside people who are learning and taking action and learning with them. What made NCRA unique was its commitment to calling people in instead of calling them out. We created spaces where participants could explore difficult topics like race and equity, make mistakes, adjust, and move forward without fear of public shaming, even as we cultivated a culture of respect and accountability.

That experience directly informs how I approach educators in the green chemistry space. Teaching and learning are both deeply human processes. People need space to experiment, reflect, and grow, especially when they’re integrating new ideas like sustainability and systems thinking into their classrooms. The “call people in” mindset helps create that kind of trust-based community—one where everyone feels safe to learn from wherever they are and contribute what they know.

As K-12 Community Engagement Manager, what are your priorities, and what excites you about this educator community?

My biggest focus is on connection—helping teachers find the professional development, resources, and peer networks that make it easier to bring green chemistry into their classrooms. A lot of my work centers on linking educators to Beyond Benign’s professional development opportunities, amplifying the work of teachers who are already leading in this space, and encouraging them to share their knowledge through conferences, presentations, and collaborations.

What excites me most is seeing the creativity and commitment of K-12 educators. They’re constantly innovating to connect students to sustainable science practices and to reflect on challenges in the world around them through that lens., whether it’s through environmental projects, safer lab practices, or student-led problem-solving. There’s so much brilliance and care in this community, and being able to build spaces where that knowledge and connection can grow and ripple outward is what drives me every day.

Why is community engagement essential for advancing green chemistry in K-12?

Community engagement is really the engine that keeps green chemistry moving forward. Without it, so much of the innovation and learning that happens would stay siloed or locked behind paywalls. When teachers connect with one another—and with colleagues in higher education, industry, and even state agencies—their understanding deepens, and new possibilities open up for sharing that wealth of knowledge.

Green chemistry isn’t something that advances in isolation; it evolves through shared ideas, tested approaches, and collective problem-solving. Each educator brings a different perspective shaped by their students, their classrooms, and their communities. When we create spaces for those perspectives to meet, everyone gains clarity about what we’re doing and why it matters. Simply put, the community makes the movement stronger.

What current projects are you most excited to share?

Right now, I’m most excited about two projects that are helping us rebuild and expand our K-12 green chemistry network.

For New York educators, we’re relaunching the New York Green Chemistry Professional Learning Team (NYGCPLT). This initiative had existed previously but paused when a key partner organization shifted. We’ve been able to bring it back, complete with the ability to offer professional learning credits for teachers. It’s a way for our NYS science teachers to learn how to green labs together and implement them with the support of their peers, creating a strong, supportive network of educators who can inspire one another and help green chemistry take deeper root in labs and classrooms.

For educators everywhere, I’m excited about Beyond Benign’s Online Courses. These are professional development opportunities led by experienced teachers who have real expertise in greening labs and meeting NGSS standards. They’re designed to be practical, accessible, and immediately applicable—and New York State teachers can even take them for free.

For educators new to green chemistry, what are the first steps to take?

Any advice I would share comes straight from the educators in our programs: start small. You don’t have to overhaul your entire curriculum all at once. Try greening one or two lessons or labs to begin with, or look for simple chemical substitutions that make your classroom safer.

From there, take advantage of the incredible free resources that already exist. Start with the community recommended K-12 Favorite Resources collection. Then explore Beyond Benign’s website and the Green Chemistry Teaching and Learning Community (GCTLC) which are full of practical examples, lesson plans, and active forums where teachers share advice and solutions. If you find yourself needing some accompaniment, join a forum or group on the GCTLC, or sign up for one of our online courses.

Lightning Round!

First STEM memory:

Definitely biology. I loved being in the greenhouse during lab. There was something magical about tending to plants and watching science happen right in front of me. As a kid, I was always the one ‘playing scientist,’ exploring outside with a magnifying glass. If I’d had a real chemistry set, I probably would’ve been trouble, but it turns out I was sort of a green chemist: exploring the cupboards, pretending to be in a lab, and mixing all kinds of ingredients, hoping to find something that would create an interesting reaction. I clearly needed some accompaniment because all I created were some stinky and colorful concoctions.

Outside of work:

I’m still very community-oriented. I love working with people of all ages, especially around spiritual and material education and building connections. For fun, I spend time doing watercolor and photography. I’m not a professional by any means, but I love the creativity and mindfulness it brings.

Currently reading:

The Flavia de Luce mystery series by Alan Bradley. The main character is this precocious 11-year-old who uses chemistry to solve murders. It’s such a fun mix of curiosity, science, and mischief.

How You Can Get Involved:

• Sign up for Green Sparks, a free six-part email series designed to make bringing sustainability into your classroom easier than ever.
• Middle school and high school teachers: Enroll in a professional development course to learn how to transform your teaching practices and inspire students to critically engage with environmental and sustainability challenges. Read what previous participants said about the courses here.
• New York-based teachers in grades 6-12: Join the New York Green Chemistry Professional Learning Team, a dedicated space where you can connect with your peers and develop your understanding and practice of green chemistry and sustainable science in your labs.

Two outstanding Minnesota chemistry teachers are proving that sustainability belongs in every classroom. Cassandra (Cassie) Knutson Lydon, who has taught general and AP chemistry at White Bear Lake High School since 2009, and Cassidy (Cassie) Javner, a chemistry teacher at Richfield High School, have been longtime collaborators—first connecting when Javner was Lydon’s student teacher.

Both are Beyond Benign Certified Lead Teachers, and together they’ve developed curricula, led workshops, and trained other educators across the country. Their passion extends beyond their own classrooms: from publishing in journals to presenting at national conferences, they are committed to showing how chemistry can be a force for good and an entry point to solving global challenges.

In this conversation, they share their journeys into green chemistry, the classroom experiments that spark the most excitement, strategies for helping busy teachers get started, and the opportunities they see ahead for making science more sustainable and relevant to students’ lives.

Beyond Benign: To get started, could you each share a little about your path into green chemistry education and the Lead Teacher Program?

Cassie J.: I first met Cassie when I was her student teacher back in 2013. She helped me learn how to teach chemistry, and that’s where our paths first crossed.

Cassie L.: Around that time, I was coordinating the Research Experience for Teachers (RET) program at the University of Minnesota. While teaching AP Chemistry, I came across the concept of atom economy. That led me to connect with faculty doing green chemistry work and eventually with Jane Wissinger.

Cassie J.: Together, we joined Jane’s lab to develop polymeric medical sutures from renewable materials. She encouraged us to take Beyond Benign’s online Introduction to Green Chemistry course, and soon after, we became Lead Teachers. From there, we began presenting, developing experiments, and eventually teaching Beyond Benign’s online course ourselves.

Cassie L.: Even in retirement, Jane still co-leads our annual three-day summer workshop at the University of Minnesota. This past year marked our seventh, and we’ve even run virtual versions during COVID. We’re grateful to still collaborate with her regularly.

Beyond Benign: Thinking about this past year, what green chemistry teaching or outreach experiences stand out most for each of you?

Cassie L.: Each year, I run the “Make It, Break It” experiment, and it’s always a highlight. It helps students connect to real-world challenges and see how science can be part of solutions. Not everyone will become a chemist, but it’s important for them to understand why these issues matter. That experiment makes those connections clear, which is why it remains one of my favorites.

Cassie J.: We both work to bring green chemistry principles and the UN Sustainable Development Goals into our classrooms. My units are themed around sustainability goals, which makes learning more relevant and helps students see career opportunities they didn’t know existed.

On the outreach side, I love teaching Beyond Benign’s introductory course. It’s rewarding to share ideas with educators who share our vision. Cassie and I also presented the “Make It, Break It” experiment at ChemEd this summer, which was a great way to highlight sustainability and green chemistry. My students love it too—we just made the bioplastics on Friday, and it was a fun way to kick off the year.

Cassie L.: I’ll add that through the RET program this summer, I worked in a completely new area for me—passive daytime radiative cooling. We explored how to cool buildings or people without air conditioning, looking at innovations like fabrics and paints. It was exciting to branch out beyond polymers, and I’m eager to bring this work into my classroom this spring.

Beyond Benign: K-12 educators are extremely busy. What strategies have you found most effective in helping them get started with green chemistry or deepen their practice?

Cassie J.: Start small. The easiest way in is swapping out a single lab for a safer, greener version. Once teachers build comfort and knowledge, they can add more over time. It doesn’t have to happen overnight, and trying to do it all at once often leads to burnout. I encourage people to think in one-, two-, or even five-year timelines for making changes.

Cassie L.: There’s an upfront investment in planning and trying something new, but the payoff is big. Students are more engaged, excited, and interested, which makes teaching flow more smoothly. It’s like an activation barrier in chemistry—once you put in the energy to get started, the results are worth it.

Beyond Benign: What Beyond Benign resources do you rely on most in your classrooms? And have you created or contributed any that you’re particularly proud of?

Cassie L.: I started with Beyond Benign’s replacement experiments, and many are still in my classroom—the types of reactions lab was an easy entry point. I’m especially proud of the “Make It, Break It” experiment, which is published on the Green Chemistry Teaching and Learning Community (GCTLC), and of the work Cassie and I have shared through the Journal of Chemical Education and book chapters. And as a personal point of pride, I co-chaired one of the committees that developed the GCTLC, which has been one of my biggest contributions.

Cassie J.: We’ve refined and adapted some experiments, sometimes adding an AP Chemistry lens, but most of the core materials came from Beyond Benign. I also use the types of reactions lab, and another favorite is the colored flame candles experiment. It replaces the methanol flame test, which has a history of accidents, with a safe, engaging alternative where students investigate substances through flame colors. They love it, and it’s much safer.

Beyond Benign: It would have been easy to stop at bringing green chemistry into your own classrooms. But instead, you’ve gone further—sharing, training, and doing advocacy work on top of your teaching. How did you make the decision to take that extra step?

Cassie J.: For me, it comes from how much I gain by sharing and talking with other educators. When Cassie and I exchange resources and ideas, we both grow in our practice. Our partnership has been incredibly valuable in developing materials for students and teachers.

I’m also motivated by wanting to spread the message that chemistry can be used for good. I enjoy talking to people about that. Professionally, the opportunities through Beyond Benign and the University of Minnesota have been amazing—from publishing in journals to attending conferences I never imagined going to. It’s rewarding in both directions: Sharing helps others, and it also pushes me to grow as an educator.

Cassie L.: I’d echo that. For me, it’s really a symbiotic relationship. I’ve always been passionate about teaching, so things like hosting student teachers—which is how I first met Cassie—and contributing to the profession have always energized me.

At the same time, I’ve gained so much personally and professionally. I’ve traveled to different states, presented at conferences, and had experiences I never would have sought out on my own. Those opportunities came through support from Beyond Benign and the University of Minnesota. That keeps me motivated—I give a lot, but I also get a lot in return.

Beyond Benign: What’s next for each of you? What are you most excited about in the coming year or two, whether in sustainable chemistry, STEM education, or personally?

Cassie L.: I’m really excited about a new class I’ll be teaching called Planet Earth and Climate. I had proposed a sustainability class, but enrollment was too low to run it. This course overlaps with what I wanted to teach, so I’m approaching it through a sustainability lens.

We’ll also be piloting the passive daytime radiative cooling experiment I mentioned earlier this spring. And Jane is coming back into my classroom! She wants to work on the PLA/oil spill experiment we worked on together a while back. I’ve been using part of that procedure in my cooling experiment, and after talking with her this summer, she decided she’d like to return to it and see if we can get to a publication.

I’ll have two weeks of experts from the University of Minnesota in my classroom, teaching about polymers and sustainability. I think it’s so cool to show students how materials can be used in completely different ways—like using PLA for oil spill cleanup in one project and for radiative cooling in another. It gives them a glimpse of the wide range of jobs and sectors doing this kind of work.

Cassie J.: I’m currently in a graduate certificate program in engineering education, so I’m excited to bring in more engineering challenges centered on sustainability. Last year my students built electric vehicles for the first time, and I want to keep merging green chemistry, sustainability, and engineering so classes stay hands-on and engaging.

Cassie and I also plan to continue spreading the word at conferences. We’re looking at opportunities with the University of Minnesota and elsewhere.

Cassie L.: Yes—we’ve been invited to present the “Make It, Break It” polymers experiment at ACS this spring, and I’ll be presenting a Climate Action Project at NSTA in November. We’re not sure yet if ACS travel funding will come through, but I know opportunities will keep coming. And honestly, I just love working with Cassie.

Cassie J.: I love working with you, too!

Beyond Benign: You’re both doing such inspiring work. Is there anything I didn’t ask that you’d want people to know?

Cassie J.: I’d just say thank you to Beyond Benign. They’ve supported us so much—funding, opportunities, encouragement. We really couldn’t do a lot of this work without them. And the University of Minnesota, too. Both organizations have been key.

Cassie L.: Absolutely. Between the two, we’ve had classroom supplies, travel support, the chance to run workshops, and more. They’ve given us the platform to share this work, and it’s been invaluable.

How to get involved:

• Join the Green Chemistry Teaching and Learning Community (GCTLC) to connect with fellow educators and access free resources, including the “Make It and Break It” lesson contributed by Cassie Lydon, Cassie Javner, and Jane Wissinger. 
• Subscribe to Beyond Benign’s newsletter to receive green chemistry news and opportunities directly to your inbox. Plus, be the first to know about professional development opportunities for K-12 educators! 
• Register for the free Green Chemistry Connections webinar series to hear from green chemistry changemakers and connect with the community at each monthly session. 

The K-12 teaching community is a powerhouse. By bringing green chemistry into primary and secondary classrooms, teachers can spark student engagement, create safer learning environments, and inspire future scientists to think sustainably. Beyond Benign’s Observe, Wonder, Think webinar series connects K-12 teachers with peer collaboration, community support, and encouragement to help them do just that. 

During our 2024-25 series, we hosted seven sessions and welcomed six speakers who shared their expertise in green chemistry teaching on topics ranging from equitable grading practices to chemical management and safety. At each gathering, participants had the opportunity to bring resources, labs, lessons, and articles they sought to implement. “Observe, Wonder, Think is a great venue for connecting with experienced educators and learning from their adventures in teaching green chemistry,” says Michelle Ernst Modera, Beyond Benign’s K-12 Community Engagement Manager. “How often do you get an opportunity to spend an hour with a teacher or safety expert who will not only offer resources and expertise, but answer your questions and offer to connect afterward?”

We are grateful to our guest speakers, the educators who joined us for these sessions, and to this season’s facilitator, Esther Hines, a retired chemistry teacher and American Chemical Society mentor. If you missed the series or want to revisit the insights shared, tune in to the recordings below. Then, explore the accompanying forum threads or resources on the Green Chemistry Teaching and Learning Community (GCTLC). 

Implementing a Green Chemistry Lab With Esther Hines 

Implementing a green chemistry lab is easier than you think, especially if you have support from experienced teachers in the green chemistry community of practice. In this session, Observe, Wonder, Think facilitator Esther Hines shares her experience learning how to implement green chemistry practices in labs and classrooms, and invites attendees to share their journey to practicing as well.

Safer Science Framework With Dr. Elizabeth Braun 

In this session, Dr. Elizabeth Braun, Director of Educational Content and Learning at the Laboratory Safety Institute, introduces us to the Safer Science™ Program, a framework designed to empower educators with the tools they need to create hazard-free, sustainable lab environments. By addressing outdated chemicals and integrating holistic safety practices, this framework enables teachers to confidently explore green chemistry, fostering safer and greener classrooms that align with national standards, such as the Next Generation Science Standards.

Explore a curated collection, created in collaboration with the Laboratory Safety Institute, featuring curriculum materials and resources on the GCTLC that highlight safer laboratories.

Social Justice Science Issues With Nina Hike

Learn about social justice science issues in this session with Nina Hike, a leader in chemistry education and a 2021 Illinois finalist for the Presidential Award for Excellence in Math and Science Teaching. Throughout her career, Nina has integrated social justice and Next Generation Science Standards to create a more meaningful, current, and engaging curriculum in her labs and classrooms. Hear Nina’s journey from growing up in a chemically hazardous environment to becoming a biologist and chemistry teacher, and learn how green chemistry plays a vital role in addressing chemical toxicity and environmental impact.

Join the conversation in the GCTLC forums and read more insights from Nina in her “Ask Me Anything” interview.

Equitable Grading Practices With Raksmey Derival

Hear from Raksmey Derival, a high school science teacher, science ambassador, and program director at Innovation Academy Charter School. In this session, Raksmey called educators in to explore how grading for equity supports student growth and accurately reflects student ability. Raksmey encouraged participants to observe the purpose of grading for equity, wonder what quiz assessments and grading rubrics might look like using different methods, and think about guiding students “beyond the beaker.” 

Join the conversation in the GCTLC forums.

Chemical Management & Lab Safety With Sarah Briggs

Sarah Briggs, Senior Research Specialist in Green Chemistry and Emerging Contaminants at the New York State Pollution Prevention Institute, shares her expertise in chemical management and disposal. She delves into essential topics, including common safety concerns related to chemical storage and disposal, effective chemical inventory management strategies, and best practices for working in shared stockrooms. Additionally, she explores how the principles of green chemistry can be used to address these challenges, providing practical solutions for safer and more sustainable lab environments.

Join the conversation in the GCTLC forums.

Toxicology With Annette Sebuyira

In this session, experienced educator Annette Sebuyira shares an introduction to green chemistry through the lens of toxicology. Together, we delve into a lesson that aligns with the Next Generation Science Standards and New York State Science Learning Standards, expanding content knowledge and the skills necessary to provide developmentally appropriate instructional strategies and assess student progress. We explore challenges (as students would!) using the Olin Chemical Superfund Site as a case study, and employ a toxicology lens to inform decisions on how and why certain reagents are selected for our lab performances.

Join the conversation in the GCTLC forums.

How to get involved:

• Access free resources and curricula on the Green Chemistry Teaching and Learning Community, including our Sustainable STEM Unit for middle school students and Plate to Planet Curriculum for elementary school students. 
• Explore the guidebook “GREEN CHEMISTRY AND SUSTAINABLE SCIENCE: A Green Approach to Sustainable STEM in K-12” to learn how to implement green chemistry in your K-12 classrooms and labs. 
• Connect with your peers in the Green Chemistry Teaching and Learning Community forums. There are dedicated threads for K-8 and high school educators. 
• Subscribe to Beyond Benign’s newsletter to receive green chemistry resources, inspiration, and opportunities directly in your inbox.

This past year, Beyond Benign launched another great season of Observe Wonder Think, the monthly K-12 professional development series. As in previous years, the series focused in on resources, strategies, and practices for K-12 teachers who are hoping to inspire their students through green chemistry. As a framework, each webinar was organized around one or more of the 12 Principles of Green Chemistry.

The ongoing objective is to encourage and help educators create safer, more engaging learning environments by integrating green chemistry and sustainable science principles into their classrooms. Following NGSS best practice techniques, the webinar series supported K-12 educators in fostering the idea of “Observe, Wonder, Think!” with their students and demonstrated to educators the 12 Green Chemistry Principles as they are practiced in the classroom. Presenters shared hands-on labs and highlighted real-world green chemistry technologies. Beyond Benign hosted educational leaders who are actively practicing green chemistry in their classrooms as they walk through their favorite green chemistry labs and experiments. This interactive webinar series also allowed time for breakout sessions, Q&A and networking opportunities.

Here are some quick statistics on the 2023-2024 season of Observe, Wonder, Think:

• Approximately 21 participants attended each webinar, including members from the K-12 and higher education communities and their students, as well as industry professionals and environmental agencies. 
• Over the course of the year, a total of 65 people joined us during the webinar series with 28% attending more than one event.
• 18 guest presenters discussed no less than 12 topics, including curriculum support, lab safety, creating storied curriculum, cultural relevance, and student engagement and service. 
• We had representation from 15 US states and 6 countries, spanning 4 continents.

Beyond Benign would like to extend our gratitude to the following “Observe, Wonder, Think” presenters from the 2023-2024 season. Click the links to watch a recording of each session.

• Lab Safety and adopting a safety culture
  • William McMahon, Lab Technician, SUNY Jefferson Community College
• Introducing Green Chemistry and Sustainable Science: A Green Approach to Sustainable STEM (newly released lab book for K-12)
  • Erin Mayer, Certified Lead Teacher, Beyond Benign, Middle School Science Teacher, Boulder, CO
  • Annette Sebuyira, Certified Lead Teacher, Beyond Benign, Retired High School Chemistry Teacher, Albany, NY
• Flame Tests, Animal Adaptions and Engineering Design, and Biomimicry (more Intro to Green Chemistry and Sustainable Science book samples)
  • Stefanie Loomis, Lead Teacher, Beyond Benign, Catskill Sr. High School, NY
  • Veronica Morabito Weeks, Certified Lead Teacher, Beyond Benign, Breton Woods Elementary School, Long Island, NY
• Transitioning your school to a Green Chemistry Mindset
  • Jessica Lorenz, Chemistry and Environmental Science Teacher, Bellingham High School, MA
• High School Science Ambassadors as Emerging Scientists and Educators
  • Raksmey Derival, Certified Lead Teacher, Beyond Benign, High School Science Teacher, Innovation Academy Charter School, MA
• Using inquiry and student curiosity to create fun science
  • Matthew Miller, Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry, South Dakota State University
• Industry sponsored Green Chemistry Education Programs
  • Areej Nitowski, MilleporeSigma Green Chemistry Education Manager, and former K-12 educator

Please plan to join us in the fall as we continue the “Observe, Wonder, Think” webinar series next school year. Sign up for emails to be the first to know when registration opens.

Watch all recorded sessions of “Observe, Wonder, Think” here.

Training future green chemists starts in K-12 classrooms and labs, where the foundational principles of green chemistry are introduced. This early exposure fosters safer learning environments and inspires students to think sustainably about the world around them. Beyond Benign is proud to work with educators to make green chemistry an integral part of chemistry education, and we are continuously impressed by the educators who train and prepare their fellow science teachers to bring green chemistry into their classrooms and labs.

We caught up with three educators who are helping pave the way for a greener future — Cassidy Javner, Erin Mayer, and Annette Sebuyira. This summer, these Beyond Benign Certified Lead Teachers are teaching professional development courses for middle school and high school science teachers at various levels of green chemistry engagement.

Below, Cassidy, Erin, and Annette share their green chemistry backgrounds, what drives their passion for teaching green chemistry, and the value of participating in a professional development course.

Tell us a little bit about you and your background in green chemistry education. 

Cassidy Javner: I am a high school chemistry teacher in Minnesota, and I have been teaching chemistry at all levels (General, Honors, and AP) for 11 years. I got connected to green chemistry education through the University of Minnesota Research Experience for Teachers (RET) program in 2016. As a part of the program, I took Beyond Benign’s online course, “Introduction to Green Chemistry in the High School Classroom,” and haven’t looked back since. Now I am a Beyond Benign Certified Lead Teacher and I am teaching the same online course! I have been a part of several American Chemical Society’s Journal of Chemical Education publications about developing and implementing green chemistry with my students. In addition, each summer, I help run a summer workshop on Green Chemistry for High School Teachers in Minnesota. In 2018, our team from the University of Minnesota was awarded the ACS Committee on Environmental Improvement Award for Incorporating Sustainability into Chemistry. I have enjoyed sharing my green chemistry experiences with my students and other educators throughout Minnesota.

Erin Mayer: I teach young scientists at Casey Middle School in Boulder, Colorado. For over 20 years, I’ve helped create safe learning spaces where students can explore and understand the natural world. I challenge them to think critically, ask questions, and find solutions. My goal is to inspire them to tackle local and global issues, making the world a better place. In 2020, I discovered green chemistry through a Beyond Benign online course. Green chemistry is about solving problems in sustainable and eco-friendly ways. This fits perfectly with my aim to empower students to use their scientific knowledge to address real-world problems. To achieve this, I’ve developed various activities, including waste audits, studying handwashing during COVID-19, making eco-friendly products, and incorporating microscale chemistry into our middle school curriculum. These experiences not only teach and emphasize green chemistry principles but also foster innovation and problem-solving skills in my students.

Annette Sebuyira: I have been affiliated with green chemistry since 2013. I first became aware of the practice of green chemistry when I attended a summer training program for teachers at Siena College in New York, run with Beyond Benign. We practiced several labs, where “green chemistry” was a new term to me. They used safer materials. They used household products. They did not use the concentrated nitrates that I was used to using in the lab room, and I was hooked. When I went back to my school that fall, I worked toward reducing hazards by using less toxic materials. If I couldn’t find a replacement, I changed the lab to a micro-scale lab. I wrote to the DEC and asked if they had more resources. They connected me to the Beyond Benign crew, and I reached out to them and said this was something I was looking for, but I didn’t know what it was called, and I really wanted to be immersed in it. That was the beginning.

What can you tell us about your experience teaching Beyond Benign’s professional development courses? How long have you been teaching these courses, and why is this valuable?

Cassidy: During my time as a Lead Teacher at Beyond Benign, I had the opportunity to lead professional development at conferences and workshops throughout the country. This will be my third year teaching the “Introduction to Green Chemistry in the High School Classroom” online course. I find it really valuable to share my green chemistry knowledge and also to learn from the participants at the workshops and courses. I always leave Beyond Benign’s professional development experiences with a plethora of ideas and activities that I want to try in my classroom. Teaching the course renews my own passion for green chemistry and ignites my creativity as a scientist and educator.

Erin: I have facilitated the Beyond Benign “Sustainable Science: Contextualizing Chemistry Through Safer Hands-On Labs” online course for the last two years. The Sustainable Science course provides participants with an overview of the Green Chemistry Principles, introduces participants to the wealth of green chemistry resources available through the Green Chemistry Teaching and Learning Community (GCTLC), and incorporates multiple opportunities to consider how to introduce student learners to the principles as well as how to incorporate the principles into the general classroom setting.

Annette: This will be my second year teaching the “Advanced Green Chemistry: Connections to Our World” summer course. When I went through the course [initially designed by Tanya Elmer], imagining myself as a student, I found myself interested in the materials. It had units, such as designing a lab, introducing toxicology to teachers, and embracing or examining a green chemistry Presidential Award winner project that was going on. It tied in academia, industry, and economics. And I thought, “This is a wonderful course.” 

How have you seen attendees grow from the beginning of a professional development course to the end? 

Cassidy: Many attendees start the course with little to no green chemistry experience or many attendees have inherited a set of very traditional labs. Throughout the course, participants learn ways to reduce hazards in their laboratory and make their activities safe for their students and the environment. Further, participants are able to explore all of the ways that green chemistry can empower their students with the knowledge and skills to become environmentally conscious individuals in their communities and create a more sustainable future.

Erin: I have worked with educators at different stages of familiarity with green chemistry, from beginners to those already integrating it into their teaching. Upon completion of the course, most participants express feeling inspired and eager to incorporate green chemistry principles and practices into their learning spaces.

Annette: What I look forward to is getting feedback at the end of the academic year from the teachers who created their lesson plans and unit plans and seeing how teachers implemented and how the plans went. I saw teachers grow from saying, “I can’t implement this in my school unless you tell me what to do, and you have to give me the material, and I need the resources from you,” to turning around and being the ones providing their resources and having so many ideas. It is really nice to see that they have internalized it and they’re owning it. And they’re so invested that they even reach out to me now. I like to see their view just expanding right in front of your eyes!

Can you share a memorable experience or project from the course that exemplifies the impact of green chemistry education on attendees?

Cassidy: One of my favorite assignments from the course is where participants design a lesson to introduce their students to the 12 Principles of Green Chemistry and the 20 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. This past year, participants used an incredible variety of real-world examples to introduce green chemistry to their students, including soap making, egg drop experiment, colorimetry, chemical reactions, glue, road de-icers, bioplastics, household cleaners, polystyrene packing peanuts, cosmetics, biomimicry, plastic pollution, natural dyes, and food storage containers. The creativity that teachers bring to this assignment is incredible and inspiring.

Erin: I recently worked with an educator who was interested in implementing green chemistry principles in her elementary art classroom. It was fascinating and inspiring to follow her green chemistry journey from a very different educational perspective.

Annette: One of the attendees was a veteran chemist, worked in industry, and was in charge of emulsifying paint, whereby they will take the micro globules of paint particles and create what’s called a disperser. Each of those solvents was so highly toxic. She worked with these solvents for 25 years before becoming a high school teacher, where she used the platform of our course to create a unit on paint. And knowing all the topics you have to know in chemistry — solubility, Ph, electrophoresis — she took all these units and tied them into the learning, each of them based on paint. Then she went back to her former company saying, “Listen, this and this are really highly toxic. Why don’t we try something different?” It’s amazing to me. I got this student from being very afraid of being able to do an advanced course in green chemistry and being able to apply it to students, to then be able to embrace it, learn it, and now is teaching others.

What drives your passion for teaching green chemistry? 

Cassidy: Green chemistry uses cutting-edge research and addresses relevant environmental issues, including bioplastics, water quality, climate change, renewable energy, medical sutures, road salts, and oil spills. Incorporating these concepts makes chemistry engaging, relevant, and authentic for all students. I am passionate about teaching students chemistry through experiences that minimize waste, increase safety for students and the environment, and teach students about chemistry in a sustainable way.

Erin: My students! I love watching my students become empowered members of the green chemistry community as they apply their chemistry understandings to innovate, invent, and use sustainable and environmentally conscious practices to address problems applicable and relevant to them.

Annette: I think at the end of the day I feel safer that I’ve made one little change that leads us to maybe a healthier, wealthier way to live.

What are your hopes for the future of green chemistry education? How do you believe these courses can contribute to realizing these goals?

Cassidy: My hope is that green chemistry education will be incorporated in all classrooms, with all ages, and with all students. I want green chemistry education to spread to as many teachers as possible. These courses are a great way to expose teachers and, in turn, their students to green chemistry education.

Erin: My hope for the future of green chemistry education is to bring more awareness to the green chemistry movement. I believe Beyond Benign’s courses contribute by providing accessible and engaging resources that introduce participants to the principles and practices of green chemistry. By equipping educators with the knowledge and tools to integrate green chemistry into their teaching practices, we can inspire the next generation of scientists and innovators to prioritize sustainability and environmental responsibility in their work. This increased awareness and understanding of green chemistry can lead to the widespread adoption of eco-friendly practices across various industries, ultimately contributing to a more sustainable future for our planet.

Annette: I am hoping that if teachers take this course, they’ll take away something they can share in their own communities. Just to bring about an awareness that: yes, chemistry is there, and no, chemistry does not have to be the highly toxic environment that we know. Chemistry can sound challenging to people because it presents a lot of hazards. But if you say green chemistry? It sounds softer, and its practices are safer. I changed the final project in the Advanced Green Chemistry course from being someone’s existing research to creating a unit that you can teach. It brings about ownership. It brings about agency, and it brings about the concept that you are definitely going to talk about it later. Whether it’s your students who take it home to their families or their other classes or it’s your colleagues who see you practicing it and ask about it, you’re creating an awareness that wasn’t there before.

What advice or insights would you share with educators interested in incorporating green chemistry principles into their teaching practices?

Cassidy: Start small — find easy, realistic, and manageable changes that you can make to your classes today. Start with replacing hazardous labs and chemicals with alternatives that are safer for you, your students, and the environment. Then find ways to begin to weave real-world applications of green chemistry throughout your entire curriculum. Incorporating green chemistry is a process, and the “Introduction to Green Chemistry for High School Teachers” course will help you get started!

Erin: Start small. Check out the resources on the GCTLC. Focus on intentionally integrating and exposing your students to one or two green chemistry principles. Implementing microscale chemistry to focus on the first Principle of Green Chemistry — prevention is a low-stakes but powerful entry ramp for green chemistry.

Annette: One day at a time. You can’t get it all done at once. I am overzealous and very hyper about implementing green chemistry, and it still took me three years to actually say, “This is a green chemistry classroom.” I have no qualms about any of the practices that I shared with my students and passed on to my incoming colleagues as I retired because I had taken it in and been able to change each of these practices. And I will never stop learning. I never stop reading. I’m always reading either a Biomimicry Institute magazine, Nature, or ACS Green Chemistry Institute publications because there are so many other things that we might be misinformed about, or are not aware of, or know that it’s bad, but we’re still doing it. So, I say, take your time, but each day, make an effort.

Join a Summer Professional Development Course!

Learn more about these online courses and register by June 1st, 2024. Sponsorships are available for select states.

• Introduction to Green Chemistry for High School Science Teachers | High School Teachers | In this course, Beyond Benign Certified Lead Teacher Cassidy Javner will help prepare you to integrate green chemistry principles and practices into your teaching through real-world sustainable inventions. You’ll learn how to develop safer labs and lessons aligned to your local standards in an interactive environment.
• Sustainable Science: Contextualizing Chemistry Through Safer Hands-On Labs | Middle and High School Teachers | Learn how to weave Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) sustainability content into your classrooms with Beyond Benign Lead Teacher Erin Mayer. Open to middle school and high school teachers, participants will leave with a toolkit of resources and access to a network of other like-minded educators in the region.
• Advanced Green Chemistry: Connections to Our World | High School Teachers | Join Beyond Benign Certified Lead Teacher Annette Sebuyira as you expand your knowledge of green chemistry principles and practices by analyzing Presidential Green Chemistry Challenge Award technologies. In this course, you’ll dive into toxicology for chemistry basics and investigate the pedagogy for effective guidance of student-based research projects and inquiry-based projects.

Veronica Morabito Weeks, a passionate fifth-grade educator with 28 years of teaching expertise in Long Island, New York, emphasizes that while green chemistry is commonly associated with environmental sciences in elementary classrooms, she has successfully integrated its principles across various subjects such as ELA, economics, civics, and even within discussions about food. “Being an elementary teacher, I don’t just do science. I do everything!” Veronica says. “I stick science in everywhere.”

Through innovative lessons based on situations and settings familiar to her students, Veronica utilizes the environment as a gateway to comprehending green chemistry, ensuring that learning remains engaging and enjoyable.

A Call to Action Through Chemistry

Through engaging projects that relate to the world around them, Veronica’s students have had the opportunity to think about the environment they want to live in and brainstorm innovative ways to bring about change.

One of her classroom projects centered around a particulate matter device called the flow device, which detected poor air quality in their classroom, located near the Long Island Expressway and an industrial park. Concerned about their breathing difficulties and prevalent asthma, especially following the end of the COVID era when chemicals were used for sanitation, the students initiated investigations using the flow device. They observed how cleaning chemicals triggered the device and noticed spikes during high traffic times, like lunch breaks.

Motivated by their findings, the students brainstormed solutions. They explored biomimicry, particularly the Sharklet Biomimicry, aiming to create non-toxic sanitizers for their desks. Additionally, they proposed designing barriers along the expressway using materials like cork that could absorb toxins, presenting these innovative ideas at a virtual symposium.

“They played around with green chemistry and how they could make their own disinfectants,” Veronica says. “That was another favorite. They used the Think Dirty app to look at different products and how toxic they are. And it was shocking.”

Veronica described another impactful classroom project centered around exploring plastics, inspired by Beyond Benign’s Plastics labs. Students engaged in creating plastics from benign household items, testing these materials to ensure they possessed desired characteristics. Taking their learning further, they linked their knowledge to real-world issues. They learned about a New York City bill in the Senate aimed at reducing plastic bags and eliminating single-use items like shampoos in hotels.

“These fifth-grade kids went wild!” Veronica says. “They wrote letters and sent them to Albany to our local Senator, Monica Martinez. She came into the classroom, and she was so thrilled. She said, ‘You kids have to come to Albany and present this!’”

The bill passed, leading to a victorious moment for the students. This experience not only connected science with civic engagement but also highlighted the intersection between economics and the environment. Veronica emphasized the importance of providing solutions rather than simply raising concerns and encouraged her students to offer alternatives while advocating for change.

“I tell them it’s not enough to just say, ‘You can’t have bug spray because it’s toxic,’ and to then use nothing at all,” Veronica says. “You have to change it — make it so we can have it, but it’s not going to kill us. That’s what we try to get across. We’re always going to have plastic, but let’s make the plastic better and biodegradable. And not create so much of it.”

Exploring Green Chemistry Through Real-Life Food Experiences

Veronica has discovered that igniting her students’ enthusiasm for green chemistry requires tapping into real-life experiences and interests, a principle that was especially evident in her teachings revolving around food. In one example, upon discovering the toxins in popular energy drinks, her fifth graders sought to create healthier alternatives without compromising taste or quality. 

Through engaging units like the Plate to Planet program, created in collaboration by Impossible Foods, Beyond Benign, and Veronica, students explored alternatives to food waste in the cafeteria and alternatives to meat consumption. “They couldn’t believe how much was being thrown out!” The Plate to Planet “Science of Food” unit connected to different subjects and actions. Students investigated the components of common food items and experimented with creating natural food dyes. Their goal was to substitute artificial dyes with more sustainable and healthier options, balancing functionality, taste, and color stability. 

We started an outside compost and vegetable garden outside our classroom (economics/biology). They wrote and petitioned our cafeteria to have Impossible Burgers so they would have choices that are more sustainable (civics/food science/sustainability). Some students even worked with their parents to reduce their meat intake after learning more about environmentally friendly options

“We share that when you change a product to something more ‘green,’ it still has to function well,” Veronica says. “It still has to taste good. It has to hold its color. For example, we were making frosting, and we wanted it to be red. So we tried strawberries. We tried a variety of different things because we wanted to see if the flavor would change. They found something they really liked, and they wanted the recipe for their parents.”

Having hands-on experience with changing the world around them through chemistry has been impactful for her students. “You can see how much of our green chemistry approach at this level is connected to the environment, and kids are learning how much agency they have to make a difference in their world,” Veronica says. “They learn it is very possible to influence their surroundings through their understanding of science. We don’t have labs where we are using a lot of intense chemicals, so we had to find a way for kids to connect.”

Cornell Collaboration: Unveiling Vaping’s Impact on Cells and the Environment

Veronica’s students’ deep engagement with chemistry has gotten a big boost through her close collaboration with Cornell University’s impactful programs, particularly the Cornell ASSET (Advancing Secondary Science Education through Tetrahymena) Program from the College of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Microbiology and Immunology. While primarily tailored for high school levels, Veronica adapted two of their kits for elementary students, infusing them with green chemistry principles.

One of these kits, the Chemotaxis Kit, explores chemical reactions using Tetrahymena, microscopic organisms found in ponds. Veronica’s students utilize Tetrahymena to investigate the effects of vaping chemicals on cells, drawing parallels between Tetrahymena and human respiratory cells. 

“We are hoping that it stops them from vaping because that’s a huge problem out here,” Veronica says. “They see clearly what happens to the cells. They explode. And the kids are horrified, saying, ‘Oh my God! I’m never gonna do it, I promise you!’”

Cornell provides microscopes and vaping extracts for the experiments. Veronica emphasizes the broader environmental consequences, discussing how vaping toxins might affect waterways, thereby nurturing a sense of responsibility toward environmental stewardship among her students.

“They are developing agency to do something about it, for themselves, for their families, and for the immediate environment around them, teaching them that they have the power to impact change,” she says.

Part of Everything

Veronica emphasizes that when green chemistry is approached as a component throughout her curriculum rather than a siloed subject, it becomes more accessible to students and educators.

“We try to make our approach simple so we can share with other teachers,” she says. “Sometimes elementary teachers are intimidated by chemistry because they don’t feel like they are trained enough or it is too hard. I share that it is more simple than they believe. I am not a chemistry person, but I have always loved it, and I’ve taught myself. I find that chemistry is part of everything: your food, your products, your water. I try to help others to not be afraid of it, little by little.”

As a Beyond Benign Lead Teacher, Veronica is doing this work through her engagement in the Observe, Wonder, Think Webinar series. In November 2023, Veronica shared her biomimicry resources with a diverse audience of educators ranging from K-12 teachers to Higher Education faculty members. At Observe, Wonder, Think webinars, educators are able to come together for fruitful and enriching conversations that help them bring green chemistry into classrooms across the country, and the world. To learn from and connect with educators like Veronica, interested community members can join us, monthly, by registering here. To hear Veronica’s presentation on Biomimicry, visit the YouTube video, linked here.

To connect with Veronica and hear more about her work, find her on the Green Chemistry Teaching and Learning Community.