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Sustainability Events

Green Chemistry: The Missing Elements

John Warner

  • President and Chief Technology Officer, Warner Babcock Institute for Green Chemistry

Imagine a world when all segments of society demand environmentally benign products. Imagine if consumers, retailers and manufacturers insisted on buying and selling only nontoxic materials. Even if this situation were to occur, our knowledge of materials science and chemistry would allow us to provide only a small fraction of the products and materials that our economy is based on. The way we learn and teach chemistry and materials science is largely void of any information regarding mechanisms of toxicity and environmental harm. Green chemistry is a philosophy that seeks to reduce or eliminate the use of hazardous materials at the design stage of a materials process. Materials and products can be designed with negligible impact on human health and the environment while still being economically competitive and successful in the marketplace. This presentation will describe the history and background of green chemistry and opportunities for the next generation of materials designers.

This event is free. Seating is on a first-come, first-served basis. Co-hosts: ASU School of Molecular Sciences and Julie Ann Wrigley Global Institute of Sustainability/

Tuesday, March 6, 2018
130 - 2:30 p.m.