What is green chemistry, anyway?

What is green chemistry? You might get a different answer depending on who you ask. Some people lump sustainable chemistry and green chemistry into the same bucket, but green chemistry actually has a concrete definition, while sustainable chemistry is a bit of a nebulous term. The 12 Principles of Green Chemistry were laid out in 1998, when the field was just getting started, and they present a framework for chemistry research and manufacturing that is meant to reduce waste and negative impact, while improving efficiency and safety.

The excellent graphic below lays out the basic principles; click through to the Compound Interest website to read more about the principles from the University of Toronto Green Chemistry Initiative. In short: green chemists seek to prevent waste of materials or energy while designing safer, non-polluting chemicals, routes, and auxiliaries from renewable feedstocks. That's a mouthful! But you still probably shouldn't put it in your mouth.