Frontlines of Innovations: Green Chemistry for Healthier Communities
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Monday, June 15, 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Green chemistry is more than a scientific framework; it’s a pathway to equity and resilience. To truly advance sustainability, we must ensure that green chemistry serves as a tool for reducing toxic exposures and improving health outcomes in communities disproportionately burdened by pollution and environmental hazards. This workshop will challenge us to move from just principles and publications toward co-created community-driven solutions that deliver tangible benefits where they are needed most.
Building on last year’s conversations, this session will dive deeper into authentic engagement strategies, highlighting how chemists can partner with frontline and fenceline communities to inform research priorities, shape safer product design, and influence policy. Through real-world case studies, storytelling, and interactive dialogue, we will explore how lived experiences can guide innovation and implementation, ensuring that sustainability is not just theoretical but actionable.
KEY THEMES:
From Awareness to Action: Translating green chemistry principles into measurable environmental justice (EJ) outcomes
Community-Centered Design: Co-creating solutions with local organizations and residents
Policy & Practice: Leveraging science to inform regulations and corporate responsibility
Success Stories: Examples of green chemistry improving health, safety, and environmental quality in EJ communities
Attendees will leave with practical tools and strategies to integrate EJ considerations into their research, education, and industry practices, thus driving systemic change for cleaner air, safer products, and healthier communities.
Workshop Organizers
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Laurel Royer, Carnalis Consulting
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Monica Hensley, Beyond Benign
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Mahlet Gardew, AAAS Fellows
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Loyd Bastin, Widener University
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Sederra Ross, ACS Green Chemistry Institute
Conference Topics
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Sustainable Process Design
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Sustainable Product Design
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Environmental Justice