Green Chemistry: Cresting a Summit toward Sustainability

As chemistry evolves, priorities must be identified and incorporated to guide chemists toward a sustainable future. When applied, the 12 principles of Green Chemistry deliver both environmental and economic benefit and logically should be adopted in every industrial and academic chemistry endeavour. In the main, this has not happened. While Green Chemistry philosophy has been generally accepted by the scientific community, technical Green Chemistry evolution through education, investment, and exemplification has yet to achieve the appropriate attention and effort. Three critical opportunities exist that can be used to redress this state of affairs and provide the necessary Green Chemistry evolution: improving engagement and support of business and academic leaders, enhancing education and technical guidance, and evolving toward proactive and pragmatic regulatory policies. Seizing these opportunities is an imperative start toward cresting a Green Chemistry summit that descends toward ultimate sustainability.