In the context of a rapidly changing world, it should be of no surprise that the study of Chemistry is heading towards transforming itself, from one that is focused on molecules and reactions to one that integrates systems of molecules and reactions as essential parts of controlling larger systems. We call this "systems thinking" - which includes interdisciplinary perspectives and the focus on interdependence of components in dynamic systems.
"In the context of chemistry, systems thinking moves beyond isolated consideration of reactions and processes to consider where materials come from, how they are transformed and used, and what happens at the end of their life span. It draws attention to a need to balance the benefits and impacts of chemical substances and the role they play in societal and environmental systems."
Does the above sound familiar to all of us? I hope it does - that's also one of our aims of our H2 Chemistry education! (please refer to the updated H2 TLG under section on "Aims of H2 Chemistry Syllabus")
The application of systems thinking to green and sustainable Chemistry to drive innovation is also a topic that has been widely discussed (click here to read more about it).
In view of 2019 being Singapore's year towards "Zero Waste" , here are some articles that might give you some inspiration on how the learning of Chemistry can be made relevant to your students - by introducing a context that is familiar to them. 1) An article that discusses a sustainable development approach taken by a global company in plant-based ingredients for Food, Nutrition and Health markets. The principles of Green Chemistry introduced in this article may be of interest to the study of Chemistry.
2) Learn more about Green Chemistry here
3) An article on how societies have technologies to remove greenhouse gases (like CO2) from the air, but it is unclear how they can be scaled fast enough to make a difference.
Would you have any interesting "green" articles to share with us?
We would love to hear from you!
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