The Green Shift in Chemistry from Harm to Harmony; A Review of the 12 Principles of Green Chemistry

DOI

https://www.doi.org/10.59256/ijrtmr.20260603004

Published In

Volume 6, Issue 3 (2026)

Published Online

May-June 2026

Pages

34-38

Article Type

Review Article

Check for updates

Green chemistry is an important way of doing chemistry that helps reduce harmful effects on the environment and people health. It is better to stop pollution from happening in the place rather than trying to clean it up after it is made. Green chemistry is about making chemical processes safer for people and the planet. It uses less energy. The twelve principles of chemistry, which were thought up by Paul Anastas and John Warner give scientists a set of rules to follow when they are designing products and processes. These rules help scientists make things that do not make a lot of waste, are not poisonous and do not use much energy. In the world we live in today we have a lot of problems like pollution, climate change, deforestation, and waste generation are increasing rapidly. These issues are mainly causes by human activities such as industrialization, overuses of natural resources, burning of fossils fuels and improper waste disposal. The traditional ways of doing chemistry often make waste and use a lot of energy. Green chemistry helps us deal with these problems by telling us to use things that can be renewed safer chemicals and ways of doing things that use energy. It also tells us to make things that can break down naturally and do not harm the environment when we are done with them. This paper talks about all twelve principles of chemistry in a way that is easy to understand. Each principle is about reducing environment harm by minimizing waste, using materials efficiently, and choosing safer solvents, saving energy and using substance like catalysts to make reaction more efficient. Overall green chemistry is very important for helping us have a safe future. It helps us balance the need for growth with the need to protect the environment. If we follow this principle, we can reduce the harm we do to the environment. Make a safer world, for our children and grandchildren. This paper shows us why green chemistry is important and how it can be used in life.