Check out http://greenchemtech.blogspot.com/ for some interesting perspectives on green chemistry coming out of the UK.
The excellent and informative Richard Van Noorden, writer for Chemistry World magazine this week delved into recent criticisms of green chemistry – in terms of criticisms on the quality of some research and many other contentious issues.
I believe that this is due to the overly politicised nature of the “green” agenda in the US and also primarily since the “green chemistry” programme (in its origins, began with the US EPA through the 1990 Pollution Prevention Act) has ironically not made as much impact in the US educational system as it has in Europe or Asia and elsewhere. For this reason many, many misconceptions are around on the western side of the Atlantic, as to the fundamental nature of Green Chemistry. This is slowly turning, although marketing (see: Joel Makower’s recent post of green marketing and green consumerism), has slowly caused a small level of erosion as to the quality and meaning of the term “Green”, people believe and possibly are correct that its some sort of spin and by attaching the label too widely we are causing a devaluation to the term.
Indeed the fact that people think that green means essentially no impact and that this could ever be the case, is not all that surprising. We have to think relativistically, there are shades of green and its up to the skilled chemist – skilled Green Chemist to think strategically and make the right choices or come to the correct conclusions.