The Year of Science 2009

EPA is proud to be a participant in a nation-wide grassroots network called the Coalition on the Public Understanding of Science (COPUS) whose goal is to engage the public and increase understanding of the nature of science and its value to society. The Year of Science 2009 will be a year-long, nationwide effort to engage the American public in activities that stimulate interest in, and appreciation of, the processes and nature of science.

EPA's public events during the Year of Science will be highlighted on this page as well as the Year of Science 2009 web site.

November COPUS Theme – Chemistry

In his Greenversations blog post Green Chemistry – Chemistry Done Right, Rich Engler, Program Manager for EPA's Green Chemistry Program, wrote, "Green chemistry is 'the design of chemical products and processes that reduce or eliminate the use or generation of hazardous substances.' It applies to what chemists make, what they make it from, and how they make it. It encourages scientists to think as broadly as possible about the potential impacts of the chemistry choices they make and to minimize the hazard associated with those choices. It's a significant departure from traditional environmental protection, which focused on protecting people and the environment by minimizing exposure to hazardous substances. Instead, green chemistry protects by focusing on minimizing the intrinsic hazard of chemicals." Rich also discussed the benefits of green chemistry in a recent Green Scene video.

Green chemistry is a highly effective approach to pollution prevention because it applies innovative scientific solutions to real-world environmental situations. The 12 Principles of Green Chemistry, originally published by Paul Anastas and John Warner in Green Chemistry: Theory and Practice (Oxford University Press: New York, 1998), provide a road map for chemists to implement green chemistry.

Green chemistry provides a number of benefits, including:

• reduced waste, eliminating costly end-of-the-pipe treatments
• safer products
• reduced use of energy and resources
• improved competitiveness of chemical manufacturers and their customers

The primary way that EPA promotes green chemistry is through the prestigious Presidential Green Chemistry Challenge Awards. You can listen to the 2009 Award Recipient Podcasts to learn about this year's challenge winners. The Green Chemistry Program at EPA also supports green chemistry through projects and programs, including educational activities and research and development. EPA's Nanotechnology program also emphasizes green chemistry.