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Environment

S3G: Enlisting Chemistry For A Sustainable World

by ACS Sustainability Stakeholders Steering Group
August 3, 2009 | A version of this story appeared in Volume 87, Issue 31

Sustainability is all over the news these days. People understand we must do things differently if we are to meet the demands of a growing population who deserve the same quality of life we enjoy today. The sustainability challenge must be addressed at the local, regional, national, and global levels. Recognizing that its members are uniquely positioned to lead a sustainability agenda, the American Chemical Society has made a major commitment to sustainability.

To support this leadership role through improved coordination and communication among ACS stakeholders and members and through support for innovative ideas, ACS appointed the Sustainability Stakeholders Steering Group (S3G) earlier this year.

As a first step, S3G recently completed an inventory of governance and staff initiatives already in place within the society to identify additional internal and external partners and program elements that should be developed. ACS will be able to use this information to inform the public of what scientists are doing and to encourage members to take part in various sustainability activities. S3G has grouped these activities into the following five sustainability leadership initiatives:

Educating for sustainable change: The Columbus Section has published a Sustainability Resource Directory on its website. The Kentucky Lake Section teamed up with the Memphis and Nashville Sections, as well as local student chapters, to sponsor two workshops on green chemistry supported by Innovative Projects Grants from the Local Section Activities Committee. In addition, students from the University of Tennessee, Martin, received four Innovative Activities Grants from the Society Committee on Education for their green chemistry projects, such as Green Chemistry 101 for Civic Clubs. The Younger Chemists Committee will offer a program titled “Careers in Sustainability” at the spring 2010 national meeting.

Convening the sustainability dialogue with industry: The ACS Green Chemistry Institute organizes Pharmaceutical and Formulators Roundtables. The 13th Annual Green Chemistry & Engineering Conference took place on June 23–25, with increased conference attendance and keynote presentations by Len Sauers of Procter & Gamble and Jean-Michel Cousteau of the Ocean Futures Society (C&EN, July 20, page 39). The Committee on Environmental Improvement partnered with the Committee on Corporation Associates to lead a workshop to understand the nontechnical barriers for the adoption of sustainability in industry, and it published a viewpoint article in Environmental Science & Technology outlining the results. At many recent ACS national and regional meetings, technical divisions have programmed symposia focused on sustainability issues, and the theme of the 2010 spring national meeting will be "Chemistry for a Sustainable World."

Developing scientific and technological analysis of sustainability: In cooperation with the ACS International Activities Committee, the Office of International Activities collaborated with the Chinese, German, and Japanese chemical societies and national science funding agencies to organize a symposium on solar energy conversion and storage that took place last month in Kloster Seeon, Germany (see page 9).

Setting a sustainable example: ACS is implementing major initiatives to make operations more green. Examples include reducing the impact of printed materials; saving energy; and practicing reduction, reuse, and recycling. The ACS headquarters buildings recently received EPA Energy Star certification, and a staff group is working to further green operations. Many local sections, committees, and divisions have migrated to electronic newsletters, agenda books, and ballots. The Committee on Meetings & Expositions and its staff are finding new ways to reduce the environmental footprint of our national meetings (C&EN, July 27, page 58). The Division of Organic Chemistry distributed reusable grocery bags to celebrate its 100th anniversary. Many governance units are holding teleconferences instead of in-person meetings.

Enabling member and community action: The Division of Chemical Information has compiled information resources for Earth Day. The board of directors has adopted policy statements on green chemistry, sustainability, climate change, and funding for federal research programs related to sustainability. Some Science Cafés organized by ACS local sections, with funding from the Local Section Activities Committee, have revolved around sustainability issues such as biofuels.

We intend our campaign to engage the world’s scientific professionals to address, through chemistry, the sustainability challenges to be as inclusive as possible. Last year, a member survey revealed that most of us are already doing something to advance sustainability through our professional work, through ACS, or in our personal lives. By replicating these examples across the board, ACS has the power to magnify your role in achieving a sustainable society. It is the mission of S3G to find ways in which ACS can stand with you and support you as you get involved.

If you are interested in becoming a key stakeholder or to participate in ongoing discussions for sustainability, you can join the Sustainability Stakeholders Group at communities.acs.org/groups/sustainability-stakeholders-group.

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