Going Green

Julie Haack helps implement green chemistry at the University of Oregon.

By Jay Bramhall

Many recognize the solace that can be found in the books shelved in a library, a reprieve from the frustrations and chaos of daily life. This staggering access to knowledge—more than any one individual could ever hope to comprehend—proved fruitful for Jim Hutchison, a professor at the University of Oregon, as he roamed the aisles of textbooks and novels pondering the predicament facing the students and faculty of various science departments across the country. The problem at hand had scholars in the lab being exposed to potentially hazardous chemicals over extended periods of time. With smaller class sizes and more time in the day, it would be possible to limit such harmful exposure, but the university did not possess the resources required to do so. Something had to change, a necessity that led Hutchison to search the library for answers.

At the time, the library displayed its newest additions on a shelf for all to see. Hutchison came across Paul Anastas’ text Green Chemistry: Theory and Practice, which explained a form of science where chemistry could be executed in a manner that proved safer for both scientists and the environment. Hutchison had found his answer, and the science faculty decided to implement an entirely new curriculum, and he would help create it.

Julie Haack, a now-retired professor from the University of Oregon, aided in curating the new curriculum. Currently, she is diving into work as a life coach to guide others in implementing sustainability into their day-to-day activities, sharing an intimate view into the world of green chemistry, which refers to the practice of reducing the negative impact on the environment through a renovation of processes used for the production and manufacturing of products. An avid outdoorsman and environmental enthusiast, Haack explains green chemistry as “this idea of how do we preserve our playground?”

The story of green chemistry truly began 30 years ago. NASA’s director of the Institute for Space Studies, Dr. James Hansen, testified in front of Congress prompting them to address the environmental crisis. Before this point, the negative effect humans had on the environment had gone largely undiscussed. It was only with the pressure from Hansen’s compelling testimony that Congress was urged to take the first step into declaring climate change as a national issue, henceforth sparking a serious conversation that remains heavily debated to this day. Two years later the Pollution Prevention Act was developed, determining that pollution should be stopped at the source, opposed to the existing practice of treatment and disposal.

The creation of the act forced science to adapt something entirely new and unseen, resulting in a field of science dedicated to halting climate change in its tracks. It gave people the ability to get ahead of these unrelenting calamities, not simply struggle to keep pace. This race was one science was determined to win, and developing the field of green chemistry could allow it to do so.

Annually, green chemistry eliminates approximately 826 million pounds of hazardous substances, saves over 21 billion gallons of water, and eradicates 7.8 billion pounds of carbon dioxide released into the air. While implementing such a field has proven benefits, doing so was easier said than done, a challenge that the University of Oregon readily tackled. “It was really early in the process,” says Haack. “And there weren’t very many educational materials that had been developed.”

In 1997, the university implemented green chemistry on campus through a two-term lab sequence taught by Hutchison and Ken Doxsee. The sequence included two groups of 12 students who shouldered the responsibility of the emerging field. Their willingness to explore uncharted territory laid the foundation for the future of the research done at the university. This initial course opened floodgates of possibility. Mankind could now attain a future in which the world was not doomed to suffer under their existence. For the university, all it took was one class to direct the tides of change in the planet’s favor. Today, a considerable number of courses introduce and explore the principles of green chemistry.

Haack was a primary instructor for many of these classes. She offered courses both for experienced students and those taking their first steps into the world of green chemistry. “The most important thing to me for education was recognizing and learning how to communicate chemistry, especially green chemistry, to non-scientists so they feel like they can contribute,” she says.

These classes consisted of more than just chemistry, incorporating other fields of study outside of the science departments. Doing so drastically enhanced the capabilities of green chemistry by broadening its impact and reach. “The idea was to bring business students, journalism students, design students, and science students together at the point of invention,” says Haack, “so that you invent differently.”

Introducing green chemistry radicalized the opportunities for education and innovation at the University of Oregon. In the almost 25 years that green chemistry has been present on campus, substantial scientific advancements have been made on the educational front. The university uses molecular-level design and nanoscience to uncover and repurpose characteristics of nanoparticles to be utilized on a safer, more efficient level. The lab includes an extensive archive of nanoparticles that are used to analyze and assess new green materials. Research in the lab has focused on developing new processes of nanofabrication, as well as usage of heterogeneous catalysts and biomolecular nanolithography.

For a more digestible look into green chemistry, the Nike shoe is a perfect example. The initial Nike design had a shoe made of leather that not only wasted material, but was hot, heavy, and overall proved difficult to work with. The solution to all of these problems was knitted shoes. Haack compared it to baking: “everything you put into the pot, goes into the product.” Ultimately, the result was a product that was much easier to work with and produced minimal waste. Transitioning to manufacturing knitted shoes meant that Nike could produce shoes that were lighter and better adapted to pushing athletes to the peak of their performance. Industries all over the world have similar stories such as these, where a product that was once detrimental to the health of the environment has now been remodeled to have a positive impact.

Amongst all of this evolution, an important question remains: Is it enough?

Watching the news and viewing the seemingly inevitable tragedies of climate change around the world can feel overwhelming. In 2017, the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe credited air pollution with over seven million fatalities per year, while the Lancet Commission estimated it was responsible for around nine million premature deaths in 2015. The change is apparent in a state like Oregon, where the rainy season used to feel like a year-long endeavor. Now, wildfires ravage the landscape to the point of displacing entire communities.

It is understandable to find such a rapid transformation demoralizing in its vastness. There is an urgency to fix the problem in any way possible. Whether through recycling proper materials, conserving water usage, or simply avoiding single-use plastics, people all around the world are making an effort. “The world is chaotic,” says Haack. “You could win, you could lose—you may need to win on seven fronts instead of one. So, the only path forward that has any hope of succeeding—is to keep trying.”

Green chemistry implements this idea by allowing scientists and nonscientists alike to communicate in a way that promotes action. People have been given the resources necessary to shift the tides of change, it is now in their hands to do so.