If we would have to choose the two most influential terms of green technology in our epoch – they would, without doubt, be carbon emission reduction and sustainable growth.

Green, or sustainable growth decreases greenhouse gases and environment pollution – adding an extra benefit of leaving what our future generation needs behind. At the same time, we can strengthen our selves by maintaining the development of our present economy.

What we need in our lives is energy and matter, and matter is created by chemistry. So does energy, which is an outcome of chemical equations or the combination of different raw materials. Hence, green growth depends on the desire to process such chemicals in an eco-friendly way, as well as change them into sustainable materials.

Today, our planet is home to more than 7,000,000,000 people. Although there are discrepancies between nations and their inhabitants, we are generally enjoying a rather plentiful, healthy life that couldn?t have been possible only a few hundred years ago. Such a life has come to reality after the 19th century, in which chemistry started to develop and create fertilizers, medicine, plastic, and other industrial equipment. Yet if there?s a bright side to the development of technology, there?s always the opposite artificially made chemical materials eventually end up toxic, and the environment is significantly affected while carrying out these chemical processes. There is a lack of natural resources, and people are starting to believe that modern chemistry is the reason why we are facing environmental difficulties. And that?s not an overstatement. One-third of the toxic waste of the world comes from industries.

Still, life without man-made materials or changes made to natural materials seems to be quite tough. Thus, it is necessary to maintain the benefits that chemistry provides us, and balance it with the amount of toxic waste we are producing, or the amount of natural resources that are being depleted at the moment.

In 1998, Paul T. Anastas and John C. Warner established the 12 main principles for green chemistry.

THESE ARE THE PRINCIPLES:

1. It is better to prevent waste from being created than to get rid of it after it is made.

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3. We must develop new combination methods to make all ingredients used to be a part of the final product.

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5. We must develop new methods to use or create materials that are less hazardous to our health and the the environment.

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7. We must maintain the feats of a certain material and try to make it less toxic

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9. We should try not to use supplementary materials like solvent if not necessary, and if we have to, such materials should cause no harm.

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11. Combine materials indoors in the current air pressure to minimize energy consumption.

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13. If it is technically, financially allowed, we must always use renewable raw materials.

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15. We must do away with or minimize unnecessary derivatization processes.

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Considering this, we must do more to sustain green chemistry than simply educate the public about it. The people who study chemistry and take part in chemical industry should understand that our race coexists with the environment. We must believe that we can use chemistry for the success of our future generations, and be provided with sufficient knowledge about how chemical materials can affect our environment.