Toxic chemicals are taken for granted as being part of the lab environment.  But they don't always have to be used.  The 12 Principles of Green Chemistry can be applied to identify safer, more benign alternatives for specific chemicals and chemical processes.  What is green chemistry? The standard definition of green chemistry is: the design of chemical products and processes that reduce or eliminate the generation of hazardous substances.  However this definition does not account for general chemical use in a lab, and it should.  Therefore, the My Green Lab definition of green chemistry is much broader:

Green chemistry is the selection of less hazardous, more sustainable chemicals, and/or the design of chemical products or protocols involving chemicals that aim to reduce or eliminate the use or generation of hazardous substances.

Did you know...?

• Many toxic chemicals used in labs have less-toxic or non-toxic alternatives. For example, ethidium bromide can easily be replaced with a safer alternative.
• Hazardous chemicals are also commonly found in many pieces of lab equipment. Traditional fluorescent light sources contain mercury, for example. 
• Sharing chemicals or contributing to a chemical inventory is a great way to reduce chemical use.
• Green chemistry isn't just for chemists - anyone who uses chemicals should seek to reduce their exposure to harmful substances.

To learn more about some simple things that you can do to abide by the principles of green chemistry, read about our initiatives below:

Green Chemistry Curriculum Guide
Substitutions - Chemists
Chemical Inventory