Socio-Problematization of Green Chemistry: Enriching Systems Thinking and Social Sustainability by Education

Abstract

The current research on systems thinking criticizes the additive nature of green chemistry (GC) not being supportive of systems thinking to achieve holism in its practices. This paper argues that systems thinking should comprise of the social issues, and, therefore, it studies renowned papers by GC pioneers and reviews on the field regarding how they address the social dimension of sustainability. It points out how GC has ignored social sustainability in its discourses, practices, and evaluations, leading to a reductionist interpretation of sustainability. Then, this paper presents some challenges to be overcome in order to achieve balanced sustainability. A systemic chemical thinking is advocated, considering chemistry in culture and chemistry as culture, expanding the chemistry rationality from ontological and technological dimensions into the epistemological and ethical ones. It is then discussed how chemistry education can help to promote sustainability in a broad and systemic way.

Development of Environmental Health Competencies through Compulsory Education. A Polyhedral Approach Based on the SDGs

“…There are currently 17 Sustainable Development Goals and 169 targets proposed by the United Nations to combat the increasingly serious global emergency. We are talking about social sustainability [10], environmental sustainability, health sustainability, etc. The concept becomes more and more polyhedral, with smaller edges, getting closer to a circumference, until it becomes a global and complex vision.…”

“…The concept of EH is more than the addition of terms health and environment, just as an ecosystem is a superior entity to the addition of the biocenosis and biotope and is nourished by the research on the complexity of the concept of sustainability and its holistic vision [10]. It emerges from three conceptual shifts: (a) the evolution of the concept of health from 'the state of complete physical, mental and social well-being' [11], to more dynamic, ecological and globalizing visions, which include the environment either from an individual or social perspective [12][13][14][15]; (b) the consideration of the environment as all that surrounds us, including the relationships established between its components (physical, biological, cultural, social and economic) [16].…”

Tools for Measuring Energy Sustainability: A Comparative Review

“…Institutions are influenced by players and their activities. On the other hand, institutions considerably influence players by shaping their interests and behaviors [66][67][68]. There is a mutual relationship between institutions and players in such a way that social values can shape institutional structures and, in response, institutional values appear as a measure for the rational assessment of players.…”

Bismuth as Smart Material and Its Application in the Ninth Principle of Sustainable Chemistry

“…Green Chemistry is a Hippocratic oath for chemists [17][18][19]. In order to preserve natural resources and the environment, a new cohort of scientists and technologists is being developed who will analyze economically the materials and processes used in production and development [10,20]. Green Chemistry or ecologically harmless, harmless, and sustainable chemistry is the manufacture and application of chemical products and processes which decrease or eradicate the use and creation of hazardous substances [3,21].…”

“…e basic principles of Green Chemistry cover a broad spectrum of synthetic organic synthesis, designing processes in organic synthesis to decrease byproduct/waste generation, decrease the use of hazardous chemicals/raw materials, and increase the use of safer or more environmentally safe solvents and (bio) catalysts, and renewable raw materials [8]. Additionally, Green Chemistry entails the most excellent approach to dispose waste and design of degradation process of chemical products subsequent to its use in order to support pollution prevention and sustainable development measures [9][10][11].…”