Green Chemistry At the Undergraduate Level

Green Chemistry in Minnesota: Opportunities and Challenges for Leadership

Wednesday May 28, 2008Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs

University of Minnesota

Bob HansonSt. Olaf CollegeNorthfield, MN

Good reasons to teach about green chemistry

• Green chemistry is all about purposeful design.

• Green chemistry demands accountability.

• Green chemistry resonates with student creativity and interest in caring for the environment and for the future.

Purposeful Design

• Green chemistry requires a consideration of intent.

– Which of the products is the desired product? – Is there a better way accomplish the same

result?• Involving fewer hazards• Involving less waste

Accountability

• Green chemistry requires consideration of all of the inputs and outputs.

Atom Economy = 40%

before… …after

Accountability

• Green chemistry requires consideration of all of the inputs and outputs.

Experimental Atom Economy = 26%

before… …after

Creativity

• Green chemistry considerations suggest valuable alternatives.

Process MassEfficiency = 10%

Process MassEfficiency = 1%

What we’ve learned

• Green chemistry can be integrated into existing courses and given any amount of emphasis desired.

• Green chemistry can be introduced at the introductory college level as part of a standard general chemistry course.

• Discussions of green chemistry relate to lab safety and waste management.

What we’ve learned

• Awareness grows with exposure.

• Students start asking important questions.

• Faculty start asking important questions.