When students hear the word "chemistry," many run the opposite direction as quickly as possible.
But at Washington College there is a group of students who understand the importance of chemistry and the benefits it provides. They make up the campus chapter of the American Chemical Society.
Our chapter of the American Chemical Society sponsors an annual week of celebrating chemistry.
This year, the theme of National Chemistry Week was "The Earth's Atmosphere and Beyond!"
The main attraction was Dr. Mary Kirdhoff, who the college hosted last Thursday.
Kirchhoff, the Assistant Director of the Green Chemistry Institute at the American Chemical Society, lectured on the prevention of pollution with the use of green chemistry. The lecture was sponsored by the Washington College Department of Chemistry, the McLain Program in Environmental Studies and Sigma Xi.
Kirchhoff discussed the views of the American Chemical Society on pollution and green chemistry in today's world.She focused on twelve main points of Green Chemistry.
Her main points of discussion included: prevention, atom economy, less hazardous chemical syntheses, designing safer chemicals, safer solvents and auxiliaries, design for energy efficiency, use of renewable feed stocks, reduction of derivatives, catalysis, design for degradation, real time analysis for pollution prevention analysis, and safer chemistry for accident prevention.
Kirchhoff gave examples of real life situations for these principles of green chemistry. Also, she explained different ways in which students can implement the principles of green chemistry.
The Green Chemistry Mission as stated on the Environmental Protection Agency Green Chemistry website is, "To promote innovative chemical technologies that reduce or eliminate the use or generation of hazardous substances in the design, manufacture, and use of chemical products."
This is the mission statement that the ACS at WC has focused on in order to celebrate a week of chemistry.
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