It’s Not Easy Being Green

Introduction

As you wander through any store or browse products online, you may notice something. More and more

products are being advertised as “green”. Increasingly, buyers are deciding between green and

conventional products. For example, you might come across green cleaning products or you may have

used green bioplastic grocery bags when you’ve forgotten your reusable bags at home.

What does it mean when a product is declared “green”? Producers need to make a safer and more

environmentally friendly product by following the principles of Green Chemistry. Some of these principles

include:

Choosing the least-toxic chemicals for the production process

Adopting sustainable processes by using renewable or recycled materials and by minimizing waste products

Using renewable energy sources

Saving energy by carrying out processes at lower temperatures wherever possible

Addressing disposal issues by designing products that degrade into harmless substances after use

New green products and processes are developed daily in a wide variety of fields and as consumers, we can’t help but wonder - are there regulations and standards for green products? Is there a greener alternative to every consumer product? You are a member of the Millennial Generation, born at the end the end of the twentieth century. Your generation is more environmentally educated than any before you and you are also the target of massive marketing campaigns. You have the power to make wise consumer decisions, and perhaps, also design products that will allow future generations to care for the environment. Your Task In a group of three or four, you will plan, develop, design and market a green product. The green product will illustrate at least one of the principles of green chemistry. You will:

- conduct extensive research on the properties of your product and on the production processes - contrast your product with the conventional alternative - put the product to the ultimate test: convince investors to support its production. They are only

likely to do so if they believe that consumers will buy it.

Goal Your aim is to develop a green product that investors are willing to support. Your product could be:

Clothing Toilet paper Batteries

Cleaning Products Water bottles Dry-Cleaning Solvents

Paints Diapers Fuels

Printer paper Books Electronic products

Grocery bags Pesticides Office supplies

…Or any other product that you might be interested in

Background Research Before deciding on a product, make sure your group does some background research on:

The principles of green chemistry

Any regulations or restrictions on companies marketing products as ‘green’

What makes green products appealing to investors and consumers

A selection of products that you are interested in working on

The Conventional Product

With the information that you gathered, narrow down your choices to one or two products that you are

interested in pursuing. Conduct more focused research on a conventional version of the product you are

considering, including:

its chemical and physical properties

manufacturing processes and energy sources

waste materials or by-products

packaging

its likely fate at the end of its useful life

safety and ease of use, price, packaging, and marketing strategies

the relative “greenness” and desirability of the conventional product

Identify Solutions and Make Decisions – The Makings of a Green Product

Now you will design a green alternative to the conventional product. For your green alternative, research

the same seven points that you investigated for the conventional product. As you compare the two

products, develop responses to the following questions:

What makes your product greener?

What makes your productions processes greener?

What makes your green alternative more attractive to a consumer?

Pitch Your Product

Your group will try to see your ideas to a panel of potential investors. Make a PowerPoint presentation (or

any other approved style of presentation) that will thoroughly and accurately convey your green product’s

necessity in today’s market. Your pitch must include:

an attention grabbing introduction

the information about your green product, contrasted with the conventional options

a clear and concise evaluation of your products greenness

a wrap-up to convince the investors to back your product

It’s Not Easy Being Green

Product Name – _____________________________ Name of Peer Evaluator –_____________________

Did the pitch/presentation contain the following information on the conventional product

o its chemical and physical properties o manufacturing processes and energy sources o waste materials or by-products o packaging o its likely fate at the end of its useful life o safety and ease of use, price, packaging, and marketing strategies o the relative ‘green-ness’ and desirability of the conventional product 4 3 2 1

Did the pitch/presentation contain the following information for the greener alternative

o What makes your product greener? o What makes your productions processes greener? o What makes your green alternative more attractive to a consumer? 4 3 2 1

Did the pitch/presentation contain

o an attention grabbing introduction o the information about your green product, contrasted with the conventional options o a clear and concise evaluation of your products green-ness o a wrap-up to convince the investors to back your product o a visual aid (eg. Powerpoint presentation, Prezi presentation, poster, etc..) 4 3 2 1

Comments:

It’s Not That Easy Being Green

Evaluation Rubric

Overall Expectation Guiding Question

Level 4

To an

exceptional degree

Level 3

To a considerable

degree

Level 2

To a moderate degree

Level 1

To a

limited degree

Not

Yet

Identify and describe

careers related to the

fields of science under

study, and describe the

contributions of scientists,

including Canadians, to

those fields.

20 MARKS

Did the pitch

contain the

information

required on the

conventional

product?

4++ 4+ 4 4-

3+ 3 3-

2+ 2 2-

1+ 1 1-

Assess the benefits to

society and evaluate the

environmental impact of

products and technologies

that apply principles

related to the structure

and properties of matter.

20 MARKS

Did the pitch

contain reasoning

and information on

the greener

alternatives to the

conventional

product using

concepts of

structures and

matter?

4++ 4+ 4 4-

3+ 3 3-

2+ 2 2-

1+ 1 1-

Demonstrate scientific

investigation skills (related

to both inquiry and

research) in the four areas

of skills (initiating

and planning, performing

and recording, analysing

and interpreting, and

communicating).

10 MARKS

Have you shown

attention to detail,

clear thought,

creativity, and

interpretation of

information

gathered from a

variety of sources?

Have you

presented it in an

organized and

structured format?

Are all sources

accurately cited?

4++ 4+ 4 4-

3+ 3 3-

2+ 2 2-

1+ 1 1-