Green chemistry as the generator of questions in teenagers

JORGE SAMBETH; GUSTAVO ROMANELL; PATRICIA VÁZQUEZ; PAULA VILLABRILLE; DIEGO RUIZ; GUSTAVO PASQUALE

Conferencia; 3rd Global Higher Education Forum 2011 & the 21ST World Conference of the World Futures Studies Federation; 2011

Our panel presentation will summarize a series of workshops realized for higher, medium and primary education level thinking in the future of children and teenagers generations in relation of sustainable development. We are a team of professors and advanced students of different careers of University of La Plata that have a great engaged in this task from ten years ago.   Although the economist Kondratieff cycles have been partly replaced by new theories, analyzing the chemical industry development associated with the environmental problem it is clear that have existed technological cycles and economic-environmental. With regard to the industry can be said that the last cycle began in the 40 coming in the 60 to a maximum which coincides with the development of the oil, petrochemical and metallurgical industries. This period is characterized by two main elements: (a) an economy of scale has led to the construction of large plants and (b) the development of large industrial centers in both developed first and then developing, without measuring the environmental impact on society and the environment factor that activated the current environmental crisis. According to the theory of global development cycles would be the beginning of a new period where nanotechnology, biotechnology and sustainable technological processes would be the basis for growth. In this logic the 90 postulated-called 12 principles of green chemistry have enabled the development of a new chemical technology and chemical processes are designed, engineered and manufactured under the unique of reducing or eliminating the use and generation harmful substances into the environment. On this basis there is a change in the philosophy of chemistry, the synthesis of organic substances in the design view and teach the chemistry that has its keystone in sustainable development.   Create awareness in society about environmental problems from the viewpoint of natural sciences, including sustainable development, is not an easy task. The rapid advancement of knowledge and complexity of these often result in an oversimplification of these concepts, which goes against not only the understanding of the problem (which is not always easy to understand or explain), but in sustainable development as the generator of questions. Scientific literacy is now a priority when incorporating the concept of sustainable development as a tool of change for present and future generations. Many teachers have learned that the problems that arise for students in class may differ considerably from those that they encountered out of the classroom.   The activity of our workshops is focused on showing the new trends in chemistry and green chemistry, looking for a new methodology for the teenager to the knowledge of sustainable development from the transversally of their own knowledge. The topic selected in this case to illustrate and to base this activity is the catalyst, given its relevance to the principles of green chemistry and its wide range of technological applications. After generating an experimental situation will be discussed and addressed different aspects of the catalysts in particular, and green chemistry in general, drawing on previous experiences and knowledge of students.   It is our intention that our project could be known and that different communities will can applied it. Presenting our work at the 3rd Global Higher Education Forum and 21st WFSF World Conference in Penang will enable us to take another big step forward in realizing this objective.