The Minnesota Green Chemistry Forum is committed to fostering a common understanding among businesses, government, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and academia to advance green chemistry practice and policy in Minnesota and nationally.

Green Chemistry is the the design, development and implementation of chemical products and processes that reduce or eliminate the use and generation of substances hazardous to human health and the environment. An important aspect of green chemistry is the design of chemical products to be fully effective, yet have little or no toxicity.

Our goals are to:

• Build momentum and create awareness for green chemistry by highlighting existing leadership, best practices and innovations in green chemistry by Minnesota businesses.
• Capitalize on and invest in current green chemistry activities and incubate new business models/ideas.
• Promote a healthy business environment for green chemistry in Minnesota by providing incentives for research and development, advocating for including green chemistry in academic curricula and supporting consumer education in “cleantech.”

“A Race to Innovation”
“No matter what industry you’re in, you can integrate green chemistry into your operations,” says Paul Anastas, a pioneer in the field of green chemistry...[currently the Assistant Administrator of the EPA’s Office of Research and Development and Science Advisor to the Agency]. “We want to create a race to the top, a race to innovation.”
CNET News, November 12, 2007

Members

• Activeion
• Aveda Corporation
• BioBusiness Alliance of Minnesota
• Clean Water Fund
• Eureka Recycling
• Fairview Health Services
• Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy
• Learning Disability Association
• LifeScience Alley
• Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development
• Minnesota Pollution Control Agency
• Minnesota Public Interest Research Group
• Pauly, DeVries, Smith, Deffner LLC
• Preventing Harm Minnesota
• Segetis
• St. Olaf College
• Tennant Company
• University of Minnesota Center for Sustainable Polymers
• University of Minnesota Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs
• University of Minnesota NorthStar Initiative
• University of Minnesota, Minnesota Technical Assistance Program
• Women’s Environmental Institute
• and others
   

“We are dedicated to using sustainable practices that enable us to effecively clean even the most delicate fabrics and textiles. Green chemistry allows us to do this and still ensures the utmost in health/safety for our workers and maintains our committment to good stewardship of mother earth.”
– Michael Guest, Owner, Skylark Cleaners

“At Segetis, our renewable chemistry which enables the use of agricultural and forestry feedstock for production of sustainable materials is transforming the traditional petroleum based chemical industries, truly one of the biggest industries on earth.”
– Atul Thakrar, Segetis

“As the first beauty company to achieve Cradle to Cradle endorsement, Aveda is recognized as a leader in ecologically intelligent design. Designing and manufacturing products can be environmentally responsible when environmental goals are factored into the concept at the very beginning…We can change the world by changing the way the world does business.”
– Dominique Conseil, President, Aveda Corporation

Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy

The Minnesota Green Chemistry Forum was started by the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy in November 2009. IATP is a Minneapolis based nonprofit organization that works locally
and globally at the intersection of policy and practice to ensure fair and sustainable food, farm and trade systems.

IATP co-sponsored a Green Chemistry conference in May 2008 with the University of Minnesota. IATP has experience working with leading Minnesota businesses on sustainable bio-based products and was a founding member of the National Business-NGO Working Group for Safer Chemicals and Sustainable Materials.