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Green engineering is the design, commercialization, and use of processes and products in a way that reduces pollution, promotes sustainability, and minimizes risk to human health and the environment without sacrificing economic viability and efficiency.
It embraces the concept that decisions to protect the environment can have the greatest impact and cost-effectiveness when applied early, in the design and development phase of a product.
- • Conserve and improve natural ecosystems while protecting human health
- • Use life-cycle thinking in all engineering activities
- • Ensure that all material inputs and outputs are as inherently safe as possible
- • Minimize depletion of natural resources
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The Earth contains finite resources to support sustainable development into the future (unless mankind invents methods to import enormous quantities of raw materials from off the planet-not likely in the near term). As the human population on Earth increases to a projected peak of 9-10 billion from its current level of 7 billion by 2100 and as standards of living rise for many in developing countries, ever increasing pressure will be exerted on finite resources.
- • Designers need to strive to ensure that all materials and energy inputs and outputs are as inherently nonhazardous as possible
- • Separation and purification operations should be designed to minimize energy
consumption and materials use
- • Products, processes, and systems should be "output pulled" rather than "input pushed" through the use of energy and materials
- • Material diversity in multicomponent products should be minimized to promote disassembly and value retention
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After all of the research advancements in green chemistry and engineering, mainstream chemical businesses have not yet fully embraced the technology. Today, more than 98% of all organic chemicals are still derived from petroleum.
Green chemists and engineers are working to take their research and innovations out of the lab and into the board room through the creation of viable industrial products that can be embraced by today’s industry leaders. But where did green engineering originate from?
- • In 1962, Rachel Carson wrote a book called Silent Spring which outlined the devastating effects certain chemicals had on local ecosystems. This book served as a wake-up call for the public and scientists alike, and inspired the modern environmental movement.
- • In 1969, Congress passed the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) after recognizing the importance of adressing the issue. The National Environmental Policy Act's goal was to create and maintain condidtions under which man and nature can exhist in productive harmony.
- • Products, processes, and systems should be "output pulled" rather than "input pushed" through the use of energy and materials
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Governments and scientific communities throughout the world recognize that the practice of green chemistry and engineering not only leads to a cleaner and more sustainable earth, but also is economically beneficial with many positive social impacts. These benefits encourage businesses and governments to support the development of sustainable products and processes. The United States, desiring to reward and celebrate significant achievements in Green Chemistry, has given out an annual award since 1996, the Presidential Green Chemistry Challenge Award.
- • Use of supercritical carbon dioxide in computer chip production significantly reduces the amount of water, energy, and chemicals needed to produce computer chips
- • Application of feather’s fibers to computer chips has created more lighter, tougher, and efficient circuit boards
- • A green synthesis of sitagliptin (the active ingredient of a treatment of type 2 diabetes) has led to an enzymatic process that reduces waste, improves yield and safety, and eliminates the need for a metal catalyst
- • A mixture of soya oil and sugar replaces fossil-fuel-derived paint, reducing the hazardous volatiles by 50%