Friday, December 2, 2011

Reflection

The examples that struck me  as the most intriguing examples of green chemistry were the Cogeneration Plant at UNH in Durham, another example that intrigued me was my wiki project with my partner, Cynthia. For our project we made all natural soap, we made the soap with only water, oils, and essential oils. The cogeneration plant at UNH in Durham was a project that students designed and made happen, the plant takes waste from a local landfill and turns that waste into heat and energy to be used to by the entire campus.

Three major principles of green chemistry that I understand now are the use of recyclable feedstocks, prevention, and the reducing the use of derivatives. Feedstocks should be recyclable so the companies are not wasting raw materials, if they become recyclable then they can be used again and again creating less waste because you are re-using the same product repetitively. Prevention is a good thing for companies to start to practice if they want to go green, they should not be creating waste to just have to clean it up later. They should be preventing waste from getting into the environment so they have nothing to clean up and do not feel guilty for making the environment unsafe. The last principle that I understand now that I did not before is reduce the use of derivatives. By eliminating derivatives companies are also eliminating the creation of waste and the use of harmful chemicals, which helps the environment and everyone around it.

If I were to describe the world of green chemistry to a friend, I would describe it as a new area in chemistry that is becoming more common. The ideas and principles of green chemistry are to prevent hazardous waste, use less harmful chemicals or not at all, and make raw materials into renewable products so they can be used again and again. Green chemistry also goes beyond this, green chemistry can even be in how the soap you use is made, is it made with chemical names that are hard to pronounce or is it made with names that you can pronounce and seem safe for the environment.  Green chemistry is still new to many people and even to many companies, so there are still a lot to be researched and a lot to be learned. This is what I know about green chemistry rigth now, there are websites and resources that I can give you if you would like to dig further into the world of green chemistry.

Sunday, November 27, 2011

Who would have thought, sugar cane is a renewable feedstock.

   Yes, sugar cane can be used as a renewable feedstock. I was just shocked, just as you are reading this. Sugar cane is said to be a more beneficial and safer feedstock than corn. Ethanol that is produced from corn can damage the envirnoment. This type of ethanol can damage the envirnoment because this ethanol has the capability to release more gas emissions from greenhouses than regular fuels that are used daily.

    The ethanol produced by sugar cane, is the most efficient and the one that is the safest for the envirnoment. Some of the many reasons why it is the safest and most efficient is because it is a raw material that is commonly used in plastics, papers, and chemicals.  Another reason why it is the most efficient renewable feedstock that provides ethanol is because sugar cane is easy to grow and process and provides a high yield.

      The efficiency of sugar cane ethanol is better than that of the ethanol produced by corn. A sugar cane  plant can convert 2 percent of its solar energy into useable biomass. When the sugar from the sugar cane is extracted it is done with ease, so with being said the amount of energy of sugar cane is able to yield is  greater than that of corn. Each ton of sugar cane has the energy of 1.2 barrels of petroleum.

       In closing keeping in mind the information I have gathered about sugar cane ethanol, I would like to say that it does seem better than ethanol from corn. The sugar cane ethanol is also safer for the envirnoment since it does not produce green house gas emissions.  The uses of sugar cane are in items that are used daily by many people. This is just another way that the world can go green, using ethanol produced by sugar cane instead of ethanol produced by corn.
   

    




http://www.therenewablecorp.com/eco_efficiency/sugarcane_as_feedstock.htm

Sunday, November 20, 2011

Cogeneration plant at UNH

    In 2006, UNH started to use a cogeneration plant for their energy on their main campus in Durham. The plant traps heat which waste produces,  the energy gained from the heat from the waste is then used as heat in the resident halls as well as the academic buildings. UNH partnered with Turnkey Recycling and Environmental Enterprise (TREE), to use their landfill for the source of the waste, that is then turned into heat. There is a 12. 7 mile pipe from the TREE plant, to the cogeneration plant at UNH Durham.
     The methane gas that is used in the process of turning the waste into heat comes from TREE. TREE has more than 300 wells in whcih methane gas can be taking from to use as energy. Whatever part of the methane gas that is not methane gas has to be eliminated, the non-methane gas is most likely going to be carbon dixide.  
   As a UNH Manchester student, I feel like I belong to the UNH family. Knowing that UNH is the first university in the country to commit to such a GREEN  project, is huge. Using other resources other than fossil fuels for energy sources is a great way in becoming greener and something that can be used to teach other colleges and people that there are other ways that you can be green. 




http://unh.edu/news/cj_nr/2009/may/bp19ecoline.cfm


http://www.aboutmyplanet.com/alternative-energy/leading-campus/

Sunday, November 13, 2011

Agriculture? MOOOOOOOO..........Organic milk

    Even though organic milk is almost double the price of regular non-organic milk, it is safer in the end. The are more steps in the process of making organic milk than are in regular non organic milk making, which in turn raises the price of the finished product that is put on shelves. There are four criteria that 'organic milk' must or it is not considered to be organic, the four criteria are: no pesticides or fertizilers that are harmful(if these are used must be organic), no genetic alternations are allowed(BGH, bovine growth hormone which increases milk production by the bovine), no antibotics, and the final criteria is the cows must have access to pasture.
       Getting back to the point of why organic milk costs more, is because it takes more money to raise organic cows than regular cows. The cost of owning an organic farm is also more and you need more land to raise organic cows since they need full access to pasture whenever they please. Having an organic farm starts from the Earth, before you get into the animals and the products produced by the animals. The farmers use herbicides instead of fertilizers, since fertilizers can be toxic to the workers and the envirnoment. The animals are also fed no animal by products, and no BGH are used in the bovines. Organic farmers do not use BGH in their cows since the cows can get an infection in their udder or can have an insulin growth factor as a side effect.
     In the end is no really difference between regular milk and organic milk other than organic milk is healthier for you. Organic milk that was produced by cows that were able to graze whenever had more beneficial health effects than regular milk. The beneficial health effects of orgainc milk are the fatty acids are more helpful to the body, antioxdiants are higher as well as vitamins. So, in my opinion is up to the conusmer on which type of milk they choose to buy, spend more money and get milk that has more beneficial effects to the human body or get regular milk that has no real effects on the human body. I personal, no longer drink a alot of milk, but if I had to choose between organic or regular milk I think I would stick with regular milk since it is the type of milk that I had while i was growing up.




http://solorya.hubpages.com/hub/Organic-Milk--Is-It-Worth-Your-Money

Sunday, November 6, 2011

Biological interaction with an envirnomental chemical....Cadmium

     Cadmium is an environmental chemical that is found in the Earth's crust, naturally. Cadmium is formed as a mineral; Cadmium Oxide, Cadmium Chloride, and Cadmium Sulphate. These minerals are known to be toxic to humans and the environment. Since it is present in rocks it is less harmful, it is commonly found in soil and coal, even though toxic it is found in batteries, plastics, and metal coatings.  

     How is this environmental chemical related to biological interaction?  There a few ways that it can be connected to biological interaction. Cadmium can get into to the environment, plants and animals can pick up Cadmium and can be taken in by humans.

     Cadmium can get into the environment by the use of landfills, hazardous waste leaks, and poor waste disposal methods. It can also be released into the environment by working mines and other industrial activities including factories that produce batteries, plastics, and metal coatings. Another way that Cadmium is released into the environment is when coal is burned and used for energy and the burning of household waste. Cadmium can be discharged into the sea and ocean causing shellfish to accumulate Cadmium, whihc in turn will put it into a human body. Whenever Cadmium is present in the envirnoment animals and plants can take Cadmium in.

   If Cadmium were ever to  be consumed by humans the potential for complications is great. Consuming Cadmium can lead to irration of the digestive system and can cause vomitting, just to name a few of the complications that can arise. There is also a risk to your health if a human were to ever inhale Cadmium it can cause damage to the person's lung(s). Even low levels of Cadmium can be tough to get rid off, accumulated Cadmium can cause bone and kidney disease. Human intake of Cadmium can be from:
                             ~welding and battery factories, inhaling by power stations burning fossil fuels, eating foods such as shellfish and liver, drinking water that is contaminated, and by smoking cigarettes.

         Even though it occurs naturally in our envirnoment it is still toxic to the health of humans and animals that surround the envirnoment. As  I see it, this element is NOT able to be "greenified"  or become one that can be used and have its toxins limited.


http://www.planetagenda.com/chemicals.htm


















Friday, October 28, 2011

What is smog? The answer is......an air pollutant.

    Some may ask what smog is, some may not. Well, smog is the mixture of smoke and fog in the air. Smog comes from a few different sources, but the ones that I found interesting were vehicle emissions(combustion engines) and the burning of coal. There are a few steps that everyone can take to reduce the amount of smog that is released into the air, I will explain these steps later.

    Smog is something that can form in any climate or city where air pollution is high. The warmer and sunnier the weather is the worse the smog will be. Smog is mostly found in regions that are hilly, such as New York City, LA, Las Vegas, London, and Hong Kong.  Smog is predominately high  in these regions because they are surrounded by hills. Natural causes such as a volcano eruption can also cause smog, known as "vog."

      Somethigns that are being done and can be done to reduce the amount of smog in the air is: do all your errands in one day instead of spreading them out over two or three days to reduce the amount of vehicle emissions that you are putting into the air, have maintance done regular on your car such as getting the oil changed every 3,000 miles can help reduce the amount of vehicle emissions being put into the air.  Something that is fairly new the world of green chemistry is the use of solar energy, windturbines, and geothermal hear to generate electricity into houses, office buildings, and schools.  You can also work at home a few days a week if your job allows you that option....by working from home you are saving your company electricity because you are not there to turn on your lights and your computer when many others will be on at the same time as yours. Another helpful to the reduction of smog in the air when you work at home is there is one less car on the road to allows its emissions into the air.

   

Friday, October 21, 2011

A green solvent found in ourselves?! YES, WATER!

 The human body is an amazing thing, if you think about it. The body has 206 bones....that's a lot  if you ask me! It is also amazing for another thing, using water as a solvent! The human body is made up of more than fifty percent of water!!!! Water has a function in the human body, it is used to form tissue and acts as a solvent in body fluids........you probably did not know that before now! You learn something new ever day.

  Water is used as a solvent in the human body to dissolve carbohydrates. Carbohydrates are dissolved by water because they are made up of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen. Carbohydrates are necessary sources of energy in the human body, so for their energy to be used by the body they have to be broken down and dissolved so they can be distributed throughout the human body for use.
  
    Water is the greenest solvent you can have in the human body! You do not have to worry about creating any hazardous waste or harming the environment. Water is a natural resource that is found in nature and the best part about this solvent that is used in the human body is that is F-R-E-E!!!! Where else can you find a free natural resource that is used a solvent in the human body besides nature?  If you guessed nowhere, you are correct!

Friday, September 30, 2011

Jojoba Oil....Organic compound found in chapstick.

  Jojoba oil is an all natural organic compound found in chapstick. Jojoba oil comes from states in the western United States. The oil comes from a jojoba tree known as Simmondsia chinenis, and is often referred to as a wax ester than oil.

     Jojoba oil is the only oil found naturally that is close to human skin and can be used directly on the skin. The reason for this is that when you apply the jojoba oil to your skin, your skin is thinking it is producing enough oil when it actually is not. Using jojoba oil can even out the oil production of you skin.

    Benefits of using organic  jojoba oil are that moisturizes your lips, absorbs into you lips, and is FREE of pesticides.  Since jojoba oil comes from a tree it is a natural oil that is used with other natural oils to make Chapstick. The Chapstick company uses jojoba oil with other natural oils such as sunflower oil and beeswax to make the soothing but yet satisfying chaptsicks. So when the Chapstick company creates chapsticks they do  not need to worry about any dangerous reactions from chemicals or any waste becuase they already use all natural and organic compounds to make their products!!!!! What more could you ask for from a company who already makes their product GREEN?

   

Wednesday, September 21, 2011

Green Process of Toys? Yes!!!!!!!!

      Have you ever giving thought to your children's toys being green? Well, now you can because there is a company called Green Toys Inc.  that makes green toys!! I was amazed when I saw  what this company was doing and how they make their toys 100%  GREEN!  Green Toys Inc. is based out of California.


        At first the company tested numerous materials against the Green and Safe rubric. The green rubric included recyclability of the product, biodegradability, and how energy efficient the material is. The safe rubric to making the green toys was not using lead and Bisphenol A (BPA).  By not using these additives of lead and BPA makes the toys safer and greener already, because lead can cause illnesses and BPA can leak into plastic materials that contain BPA.


          What does the company use to make these toys green? The answer may surprise you,  Green Toys Inc, uses High Denisty Polyethlyene (HDPE) from milk jugs!  Before they decided to use HDPE from milk jugs,  they first wanted to use Polylatic Acid (PLA). Soon they  realized that PLA did not stand up to  the expectations that they had hoped that it would. After they had experimented with PLA they decided to look into the use of recyclable materials,  during this process the company looked into petroleum based plastics because this type of plastic is recyclable. This is how the decision to use milk jugs came about! 


         How do the toys get made with milk jugs?!  Well, the toys are made by  pelletizing the recycled HDPE and mixing the pieces with colorant to give the toy color.  After the HDPE and colorant are mixed together, the mixture gets sent through an injection machine that injects the mixture into the toy molds, the operators of the machines then separate the toys from the plastic molds that they were casted in to get their shape, the plastic mold is then recycled. The plastic molds are recycled by going back to the manufacturing process to be used again to make another batch of green toys!


       Since Green Toys Inc. uses 100% green material to make their toys there is NO HAZARDOUS MATERIAL  to pose a risk to the employees in the factory.  Making the factory clean and making the working conditions safer for the employees.  Finding that this company uses 100% recyclable materials to make toys is a step in the right direction for other toy companies that want to green their current line of toys. Why can't all companies that they say they are  green use all recyclable materials?




          

Wednesday, September 14, 2011

Three Compounds in Iced Tea

  Three compounds found in iced tea are: Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate, and Phosphoric Acid.  Each compound is unique in its own way from their chemical formulas to their purpose for being in this particular beverage i was drinking. Even though most of these compounds are food  preservatives.


    Sodium Benzoate is a food preseravtive found in salad dressings, carbonated drinks, and some medicines.Sodium salt of Benzoic acid  exists when dissloved in water, in this case this salt compound does exist in the iced tea that I was drinking. The chemical formula for Sodium Benzoate is NaC6H5CO2.    

   Potassium Sorbate is also a food preservative  found in cheeses and wines to create yeasts and molds. It is also found in personal care products to help the development of micro organisms while in the shelf to be stable.  Potassium Sorbate is Potassium salt of Sorbic Acid. C6H7KO2   is the chemical formula for Potassium Sorbate.

    Phosphoric Acid can also be called Othrophosphoric Acid. This acid is a mineral acid which means it can join togehter by itself to make many other compounds. It is found in sodas to give the sodas the acid that is needed. You can also find it  in dentist equipment as an etching solution. The chemical formula is H3PO4.

Saturday, September 10, 2011

What is Green Chemisty ?

    Green chemistry is the process of creating chemicals at the same time as getting rid of the harmful substances that are produced from the chemicals while being used, after use, and while being made. This process can also be called preventing pollution and making the environment safer for the health of human beings. 
   The 12 principles of green chemistry is heavily relied on when re-creating, creating chemicals, molecules, and materials  Green chemistry uses these principles to make sure the chemicals, materials, and molecules are safer for the health of humans and their surroundings.
      The 12 principles of  Green Chemistry are:
1. Prevention.
2.Atom economy.
3. Less hazardous chemical synthesis.
4.Designing safer chemicals.
5.Safer solvents and auxiliaries.
6. Energy saving designs.
7. Feedstocks which can be recycled for use again.
8. Reduce Derivatives.
9. Catalysis.
10. Created to breakdown.
11. Live analysis for prevention of pollution.
12. Increase safer chemistry to avoid accidents.
The principles outlined above are the bases for Green chemistry and define it in a way of which green chemistry is a process to make the environment safer for human beings and their surroundings.