Green Chemistry is defined as “the design of chemical products and processes that reduce or eliminate the use and generation of hazardous substances.” It is the science, and art, through which chemists and chemical engineers are redesigning the human economy to meet our sustainable challenges. Dr. Paul Anastas, a founder of the field of green chemistry, now serves as a Professor in the Practice of Green Chemistry, and as the director of the Center for Green Chemistry & Green Engineering, at Yale University.
The Green Electronics Council is working with the electronics industry to improve the sustainable footprint of the gadgets we all increasingly use. A key component of GEC’s work is the Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool, or EPEAT. This certification program sets for standards across the life cycle of products, from design to disposal. Manufacturers and consumers are increasingly turning to EPEAT as their guide post, and according to Jeff Omelchuck, Director of the GEC, the benefits are already quite significant.
The 16th annual Environmental Film Festival in the Nation’s Capital, March 11-22, will present 115 documentary, feature, animated, archival, experimental and children’s films selected to provide fresh perspectives on environmental issues across the globe. We spoke with the festival’s founder and president, Flo Stone, and learned about the power that films have to influence the course of our environmental future.
