Green chemistry and engineering a pathway to sustainability
Abstract
In the last decades, humanity faced huge challenges in the sustainability of our lifestyles and systems. Global environmental issues including energy sources, water access and use, land use and ecological damage require urgent and relevant answers. In this context, green chemistry and green engineering are instruments used increasingly more by scientists and engineers to make decisions having positive impact on the environment. Green chemistry, also called sustainable chemistry addresses the design of chemical processes and products aiming to reduce or eliminate the use or generation of hazardous substances. Green chemistry is also recognized as sustainable chemistry and it applies to organic chemistry, inorganic chemistry, biochemistry, analytical chemistry, physical chemistry and chemical engineering as well. Green chemistry refers to the life cycle of a product, including its design, manufacture, use, and disposal. In addition, green engineering can be defined as environmentally conscious manners, values, and principles, combined with science and technology, all directed toward improving environmental quality. Green engineering encompasses all of the engineering disciplines, and is compatible with sound engineering design principles. Green engineering deals with the design of materials, processes, systems, and devices with the objective of minimizing environmental impact, including energy utilization and waste production. The term refers to the entire life cycle of a product or process, from extraction of raw materials to final disposal of materials that cannot be reused or recycled at the end of the useful life of a product. It is very important to shift our society in a ...