Green Chemistry- Environmental Consciousness: 17th July 2009.
Referenced from HERE
Dear distinguished scholars, students & friends,
The complex predicament a speaker faces in an elite environment like this, where the audience is more knowledgeable than the speaker, is not easy to explain in words. I have often faced this situation in my long academic & industrial career spanning over 45 years, and I have developed my own technology of survival. In such testing times, I simply switch over to talking philosophy as an escape route - which not only protects my inadequacy, insufficiency & ignorance, but also fairly saves the audience from their own predicament of having to cheer and clap in an outward show of appreciation of something that is lacking in substance - as a matter of courtesy.
Why philosophy in a purely technological gathering? Philosophy is primarily thought provoking, if not entertaining and its greatest advantage is - few understand it, but all appreciate and may even agree - irrespective of their willingness or otherwise in implementing the same. The outstanding example of this is the way "pollution control" functions in our country.
Having said that, let me also pay due respects and tributes to glorify "philosophy" by acknowledging the fact that - no matter what the subject is - it always starts as a Philosophy, descends and gets developed as a Science, and becomes finally a technology, for practical utility by man. But any philosophy is only as good as it works for the betterment of humanity and its environment.
Dynamic principle of existence is "Survival"…Said L. Ron Hubbard, father of Scientology, a new religion from USA whose roots can be traced back to Veda - the ancient Indian wisdom. No matter what we do, we are trying to survive or enhance our survival. The fact that man has been surviving is not a new thought, but - survival alone is the principal & primary thrust that is governing and controlling all man's actions, is a new thought - a new realization - and rightly so!
The survival dynamic of man - when observed carefully - according to L. Ron Hubbard, can be seen to split and expand into a spectrum of 8 sub-components. They are … Self - Family - Group - Mankind - All Life forms including plants & animals - Physical Universe - Spirit - God … which are collectively called 8-dynamics of life. All the 8-dynamics are inter-dependent and multilaterally supportive. The subject of our seminar / conference today, is the survival of the 6th & 7th Dynamics - viz- all life forms & the physical universe.
How did the life begin on earth? Sun light, moisture and minerals of earth interacted chemically to provide us the origin of life. One life form (micro-organism) sprouted near the sub sea volcanoes thriving at 170 C eating Sulphur - while the other called "Lichen" (a form of primitive algae) developed on the surface of earth as a primordial vegetable plant, that contained an ability on itself - a technology that we call today "photo-synthesis" - to use sunlight to convert minerals of earth into living cells and tissues.
This formed the foundation to build the future of the much evolved "flora", as we see today. This is what we call greenery. The blood of plants is green and is called chlorophyll - hence the word greenery for "vegetation" - meaning "life" thriving. It is this life blood that finally builds our own animal blood!
Did you ever wonder why "G" is exactly in the middle of "VIBGYOR"? Philosophically, the 8th dynamic lord - The God almighty - appears to have chosen to make it the fulcrum of the spectrum of light. Can we then say figuratively that - destroying greenery may infuriate God and incur his wrath - thus indirectly contributing to our own destruction?
Sarve Janah Sukhino Bhavanthu / Lokah Samastha Sukhino Bhavanthu …
is the essential tenet of Veda which is considered the cumulative foundation of human wisdom …meaning "Let every one every where be comfortable & happy".
If man had adopted this Vedic attitude with integrity in the past, we will not be deliberating on green chemistry today. Actually the need & necessity of green chemistry is mandated because of the precedent diabolical chemistry … the "Greed Chemistry. The man's greed (excessive consumption beyond the need) for gratification of his senses seems to be at the root of the problem.
"Sacrificing the needs - in pursuit of wants". This is the new paradigm and the paradox of the modern concept of economic progress. Food, Clothing, Shelter, Sleep, Love & Happiness are known to be basic the needs of man for his survival. He has to sacrifice all these in order to pursue his wants? Wants are numerous in variety and limitless in quantum. Wants are not necessary to survival as the needs are. So, sacrificing needs in pursuit of wants is a "contra survival action" and does not make good sense. We have unfortunately come to accept this skewed drive as the route to material progress!
Economic activity in any modern society can be divided into two main categories - viz - Industrial & Agricultural. In both these sectors we find activities inimical to sustenance of greenery. Use of toxic pesticides & fungicides is destroying the farm soil, ground water and air. The grains & fodder carrying the pesticide residues are harming the health of both the humans & farm animals to no end. The industrial pollution, both air and water is totally destroying the ecological balance -ie- life in forests & aquatic life - making sustenance of interdependent diversity of life extremely difficult.
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MSR and his Wife, Plus Karl Loren and his wife, plus MSR's daughter, Anu, at the signing of the MOU. |
Jean Ross, co-founder of Vibrant Life with Karl Loren, her husband, with MSR standing, signing Memorandum of Agreement Between Emmessar and Vibrant Life |
Industry, in the name of economic progress, is the biggest violator of all norms needed to protect the nature & environment. The advent of chemistry of "Plastics" (non degradable biologically or otherwise) is proving to be both a boon and a curse together - going by the quantum of destruction it is contributing to the greenery, animal life & environment - while highly enriching few people.
Dharmo Rakshathi Rakshitaha - Dharma protects those who protect dharma. Nature protects those who protect the nature. Greenery protects those who protect greenery.
The urgency of green chemistry today is because of rampant "greed chemistry" (exploiting natural resources for their … disproportionately excessive and fancy consumption) of the advanced countries' habits. If you desire a healthy body - you need to care for it. Body and mind are interconnected - they affect each other. But environment affects both mind & body equally - for good, bad and ugly.
Greenery is the origin and basis of life. The foundation of Biotechnology as we know it today starts there - that is where lifeless soil gets converted into life - by life - for life. This is also the motto & purpose of Green Chemistry - to protect the environment and thereby promoting & supporting the life for life. Principles in green chemistry cover all branches of chemistry viz - Organic, Inorganic, Physical, Analytical, Electro-chemistry … and finally the biochemistry of all biological systems.
What is a chemical? All elements listed in the periodic table and their compounds are chemicals! The whole earth is a warehouse of chemicals. But in its natural state of equitable proportions - it supports & sustains life and maintains its equilibrium - as has happened in the history of evolution of life on earth. This is what we call the Matrix of green chemicals. This is what we should not allow to be destabilized or de-harmonized.
Chemistry is function & physics is structure - mathematics is the language of Science. The law of the universe is - "Function monitors structure".
If the function is the Life creation and energy storage to support & sustain life on earth, the corresponding stable structure is the greenery! Greenery is the nature's own "collection & storage" technology of Sun's energy in varied forms like Food, Oil & Coal etc. to be utilized later by man. Can any one imagine the quantum of "Solar Panels" plus the infrastructure needed to substitute for the effortless & costless greenery on earth for energy reception and storage? How about its manufacturing & maintenance costs and the related effort? More over, solar panels do not do us the favor of consuming carbon dioxide from atmosphere and releasing oxygen in exchange!
Life is managed well by use of a triangle called "KRC" as per L. Ron Hubbard. KRC stands for Knowledge, Responsibility & Control. Without proper knowledge, one cannot assume responsibility. Without responsibility one cannot seek control. Control is the cycle of action - viz - Start … Change … Stop. We should not start something which we cannot change or stop - if we do not want a disaster. We should change and stop now, what we have started long ago - the destruction of greenery & life.
How do we change & stop the self destruction?
These are some of the remedial measures being contemplated in the world.
Green chemistry, also known as sustainable chemistry, is the design of chemical products and processes that reduce or eliminate the use or generation of hazardous substances. Green chemistry applies across the life cycle, including the design, manufacture, and use of a chemical product. Read more about the concept of green chemistry.
Green chemistry technologies provide a number of benefits, including:
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reduced waste, eliminating costly end-of-the-pipe treatments
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safer products
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reduced use of energy and resources
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improved competitiveness of chemical manufacturers and their customers
Green chemistry and green chemical engineering refer to the application of impact minimization principles to chemical processes. There are increasing demands for chemical processes that are inherently safer, environmentally sound, economical, and flexible enough to withstand market changes. Engineers of green chemical processes redesign current industrial and laboratory methods in order to adhere to the principles of green chemistry, including:
—waste minimization;
—reduction or elimination of hazardous or toxic solvents and compounds;
—the use of renewable, recyclable, or recycled materials and feed stocks;
—increase in energy efficiency of the production process;
—reduction of total material needs through increased use of catalysis; and
—design of products that are not environmentally persistent, and instead biodegrade into innocuous compounds.
The 12 principles of Environ Protection Agency - USA.
EPA Reference Link
- Prevent waste: Design chemical syntheses to prevent waste, leaving no waste to treat or clean up.
- Design safer chemicals and products: Design chemical products to be fully effective, yet have little or no toxicity.
- Design less hazardous chemical syntheses: Design syntheses to use and generate substances with little or no toxicity to humans and the environment.
- Use renewable feedstock: Use raw materials and feedstock that are renewable rather than depleting. Renewable feedstocks are often made from agricultural products or are the wastes of other processes; depleting feedstocks are made from fossil fuels (petroleum, natural gas, or coal) or are mined.
- Use catalysts, not stoichiometric reagents: Minimize waste by using catalytic reactions. Catalysts are used in small amounts and can carry out a single reaction many times. They are preferable to stoichiometric reagents, which are used in excess and work only once.
- Avoid chemical derivatives: Avoid using blocking or protecting groups or any temporary modifications if possible. Derivatives use additional reagents and generate waste.
- Maximize atom economy: Design syntheses so that the final product contains the maximum proportion of the starting materials. There should be few, if any, wasted atoms.
- Use safer solvents and reaction conditions: Avoid using solvents, separation agents, or other auxiliary chemicals. If these chemicals are necessary, use innocuous chemicals. If a solvent is necessary, water is a good medium as well as certain eco-friendly solvents that do not contribute to smog formation or destroy the ozone.
- Increase energy efficiency: Run chemical reactions at ambient temperature and pressure whenever possible.
- Design chemicals and products to degrade after use: Design chemical products to break down to innocuous substances after use so that they do not accumulate in the environment.
- Analyze in real time to prevent pollution: Include in-process real-time monitoring and control during syntheses to minimize or eliminate the formation of byproducts.
- Minimize the potential for accidents: Design chemicals and their forms (solid, liquid, or gas) to minimize the potential for chemical accidents including explosions, fires, and releases to the environment.
M.S. Raghavan Ayyangar,
Managing Director,
Emmessar Biotech & Nutrition Ltd.,
29, Kamer Building (4th Floor),
38, Cawasji Patel Street, Fort,
MUMBAI - 400 001.
INDIA.
Tel: +91-22- 6635 6209
Fax: +91-22- 6637 0190
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