Green Chemistry is defined as the “design of chemical products and processes to reduce or eliminate the use and generation of hazardous substances.”This definition and the concept of Green Chemistry were first formulated at the beginning of the 1990s nearly 20 years ago. In the years since, there has been international adoption that resulted in the creation of literally hundreds of programs and governmental initiatives on Green Chemistry around the world with initial leading programs located in the U.S., United Kingdom, and Italy. These have played a significant role in informing sustainable design Important early programs include the US Presidential Green Chemistry Challenge Awards established in 1995 the Green Chemistry Institute founded in 199and the publication of the first volume of the now well-established Green Chemistry journal of the Royal Society of Chemistry in 1999.<br />The most important aspect of Green Chemistry is the concept of design. Design is a statement of human intention and one cannot do design by accident. It includes novelty, planning and systematic conception. The Twelve Principles of Green Chemistry are “design rules” to help chemists achieve the intentional goal of sustainability. Green Chemistry is characterized by careful planning of chemical synthesis and molecular design to reduce adverse consequences. Through proper design one can achieve synergies—not merely trade-offs.<br /><br />The Green Chemistry approach strives to achieve sustainability at the molecular level. Because of this goal, it is not surprising it has been applied to all industry sectors. From aerospace, automobile, cosmetic, electronics, energy, household products, pharmaceutical, to agriculture, there are hundreds of examples of successful applications of award winning, economically competitive technologies.9<br /><br />The concept of Green Chemistry has had this large impact due to the fact that it goes beyond the research laboratory in isolation and has touched industry, education, environment, and the general public. The field of Green Chemistry has demonstrated how chemists can design next generation products and processes so that they are profitable while being good for human health and the environment. Following the scientific enthusiasm of Green Chemistry, teaching initiatives, governmental funding, and the establishment of Green Chemistry Research Centers have multiplied in the past two decades. Many universities now offer classes on Green Chemistry and Green Engineering. Some institutions offer degrees in the field. Governmental funding has also increased in several countries around the world.<br />Framework of Green Chemistry<br />The three main points about the Green Chemistry framework can be summarized as:<br />1. Green Chemistry designs across all stages of the chemical life-cycle.<br /><br />2. Green Chemistry seeks to design the inherent nature of the chemical products and processes to reduce their intrinsic hazard.<br /><br />3. Green Chemistry works as a cohesive system of principles or design criteria.<br /><br />MSc Zainab Mohsen Najim