GREEN CHEMISTRY AND SUSTAINABLE SCIENCE: A Green Approach to Sustainable STEM in K-12 - Chapter 2: Human and Environmental Impacts

Contributors

Annette Sebuyira

Retired K-12 Educator | Beyond Benign, Inc.

Stefanie Loomis

HS Chemistry and Physics Teacher | Catskill Senior High School

Erin Mayer

Middle School Science Teacher | Boulder Valley School District - Casey Middle School

Veronica Morab…

Teacher | Bretton Woods Elementary School

Scott Carlson

Certified Lead Teacher/Adjunct Lecturer | W.H. Maxwell High School

Jake Foster

Founder | STEM Learning Design LLC

Mollie Enright

Beyond Benign, Inc.

Beyond Benign

Beyond Benign, Inc.

Summary

The impacts of chemicals on humans and the environment are a critical consideration for green chemistry practices. The three lessons in this chapter provide opportunities for students to consider the potential impacts of chemicals in the products they use and are exposed to in their lives. The objective of the lessons in this chapter is to make these considerations explicit for students. In doing so, we aim to:

Raise students’ awareness of personal safety, empower them to take action, and develop their ability to exercise personal choice. Emphasizing a personal focus also increases relevance and engagement for our students.

Extend from personal empowerment to considering implications of chemical use for communities, society, and systems.

Chapter 2 Contains:
1. Introduction
2. Animal Adaptations and Engineering Design: Lesson 2: ABC’s of Biomimicry (Elementary School; Veronica)
3. Toxicology: How Do We Decide What is Safe? (Middle School; Erin)
4. How to Use Chemical Safety Data Sheets (High School; Stefanie)

Keywords

Environmental Impacts