Jonathan Fosdick, ACS Chemistry Ambassador

Earth Day 2014 – April 22nd.

What is Green Chemistry?

What is Green Chemistry?

• the Advancement of Chemistry through Sound Environmental Stewardship

What is Green Chemistry?

• the Advancement of Chemistry through Sound Environmental Stewardship

Chemists Celebrate Earth Day!

Key ideas in Green ChemistryAdapted from "the Twelve Principles of Green Chemistry" by Paul T. Anastas, an organic chemist working in the Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxins at the EPA, and John C. Warner (1991).

•It is better to prevent waste than to treat or clean up waste

•It is better to minimize the amount of materials used and to recycle

•it is better to use renewable materials when it makes sense

•It is better to use or make non-toxic chemicals and ‘eco-friendly’ products

•It is better to use less energy

•It is better to use catalysts or any efficient means possible

•It is better to prevent accidents than it is to clean up accidents

Why use Green Chemistry?

Why use Green Chemistry?

Currently the world is facing serious problems such as pollution, limited resources, and an ever increasing global energy demand

Why use Green Chemistry?

Currently the world is facing serious problems such as pollution, limited resources, and an ever increasing global energy demand

Source: Energy Transitions: History, Requirements and Prospects together with BP Statistical Data for 1965 and subsequent

The demand for Energy is the Problem

The demand for Energy is the Problem

• Since the industrial revolution, people have been polluting the world at an ever increasing rate

The demand for Energy is the Problem

• Since the industrial revolution, people have been polluting the world at an ever increasing rate

• Global CO2 levels have been increasing ever since – Now just over 401.57 ppm

The demand for Energy is the Problem

• Since the industrial revolution, people have been polluting the world at an ever increasing rate

• Global CO2 levels have been increasing ever since – Now just over 401.57 ppm

• And not to mention ozone depletion, smog, soot, cloud reflective index changes

The demand for Energy is the Problem

• Since the industrial revolution, people have been polluting the world at an ever increasing rate

• Global CO2 levels have been increasing ever since – Now just over 401.57 ppm

• And not to mention ozone depletion, smog, soot, cloud reflective index changes

• Pollution has severe ecological and climatological impacts on the entire world

The demand for Energy is the Problem

• Since the industrial revolution, people have been polluting the world at an ever increasing rate

• Global CO2 levels have been increasing ever since – Now just over 401.57 ppm

• And not to mention ozone depletion, smog, soot, cloud reflective index changes

• Pollution has severe ecological and climatological impacts on the entire world

• Energy usage is the primary driver of climate change

The demand for Energy is the Problem

• Since the industrial revolution, people have been polluting the world at an ever increasing rate

• Global CO2 levels have been increasing ever since – Now just over 401.57 ppm

• And not to mention ozone depletion, smog, soot, cloud reflective index changes

• Pollution has severe ecological and climatological impacts on the entire world

• Energy usage is the primary driver of climate change

• Soil contamination, water pollution, acid rain, rapid deforestation

The Energy Crisis – A global problem

• Demands are only increasing while fossil fuel sources are near exhaustion

The Solution…

Sustainable and Renewable Energy

Sustainable and Renewable Energy

• What we need is clean energy that is environmentally friendly

Sustainable and Renewable Energy

• What we need is clean energy that is environmentally friendly

• Solar power

Gemasolar thermalsolar power plant near Fuentes de Andalucía, Seville, Spain - Torresol Energy

Sustainable and Renewable Energy

• What we need is clean energy that is environmentally friendly

• Solar power

Residential solar panels in Europe

Sustainable and Renewable Energy

• What we need is clean energy that is environmentally friendly

• Solar power

• Wind Farms, Hydropower, Geothermal electricity

Sustainable and Renewable Energy

• New advances in Nanotechnology are making great strides in energy conversion and storage

The new material “Graphene” offers many potentials, from solar cells to supercapacitors

Sustainable and Renewable Energy

• New advances in Nanotechnology are making great strides in energy conversion and storage

Graphene and carbon nanotubes can even be made from PE/PETE plastic waste

Sustainable and Renewable Energy

• New advances in Nanotechnology are making great strides in energy conversion and storage

• Lockheed Martin is awarded a patent for PerforeneTM, a porous sheet of graphene which desalinates seawater 99% cheaper than any current means

US Pat. No. 8,361,321 Was originally invented by scientists at MIT

Sustainable and Renewable Energy

• New advances in Nanotechnology are making great strides in energy conversion and storage

Georgia Tech – Wei Liu et al. – Solar-induced direct biomass-to-electricity hybrid fuel cell Nature Communications 5 (2014) doi:10.1038/ncomms4208

H3PMo12O40

Sustainable and Renewable Energy

• The Future holds new revolutions in energy generation, from solar power windows to clean nuclear fusion, just to name a few!

First solar panel windows (EPFL)

École polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne, CH (Switzerland)

Future homes and offices will control natural sunlight via optofluidics for saving energy

What you can do:

• Save energy whenever possible at home or at work – be efficient!!

• Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

• Learn, get involved, support research and discovery, educate others

• Invent new cleaner technology

Thank you!