Green issues

With the increased awareness of environmental and green issues there has been an increased interest in natural dyes accompanied by a lobby for natural fibers in favor of synthetic fibers. However, studies have shown (3) that if 1990 s volume of cotton were colored with natural dyes, at least 31% of the available world s agricultural land would be needed to cultivate the requisite plants. The estimate is based on it taking, on average, 440 g of fresh dye plant to achieve the same tinctorial effect as 1 g of synthetic dye. 

With the generally increasing concerns about the environment, chemical pollution, and green issues, GSK and other pharmaceutical and chemical companies have made significant efforts to incorporate sustainable business prachces and procedures in the manufacture of Ac live Pharmaceutical Ingredients (API) used in pharmaceutical products. This has placed greater emphasis on the role of the process chemist as they seek to discover commercially viable and environmentally sustainable processes for the manufacture of the new medicines. 

Public awareness of air quality as a green issue and associated health concerns have also boosted interest in this area. The consumer has begun to demand the right to make an informed choice and select products on the basis of chemical emissions. As public awareness of this issue has grown, companies ranging from car manufacturers to paint producers have started to use low emissions as a marketing tool, that is, as a factor by which to differentiate themselves and their products from their competitors. 

The replacement of chlorofluorocarbon (CFC) propellants with the non-ozone-depleting hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) merit mention for two reasons. First, it illustrates how environmental impact can be an important selection criterion at a time when green issues are high profile. Second, HFCs were developed and evaluated for safety and delivery capability by a consortium of pharmaceutical companies, with costs shared and evaluation programs defined by prior agreement between end-users and propellant manufacturers. Such collaboration could be employed usefully in the future to develop novel excipients for delivery or targeting. The benefits would undoubtedly accrue to all. 

Hofer R, Poulhm S, Held U, Roloff T, Willing A (Sept. 2006) Green issues. Polymer Paint Colour Journal (PPCJ) 46... 

T.G. Terre, J.D. Green. Issues with Biotechnology Products in Toxicologic Pathology. Toxicologic Pathology, Vol. 22, pgs. 187-193,1994. 

Apart from its use as a valuable mordant dyestuff for textiles, cochineal (EEC 120) is still used as a colourant in cosmetics, foods, aperitif and beverages (ref. 194) and is one of the several permitted natural colourants which includes for example p-carotene, betanidin from Beta vulgaris, curcumin from Curcuma tonga, certain anthocyanins and chlorophyll complexes to quote a few structures. Commercial interest in natural products such as cochineal and carminic acid has been reactivated by the increasing pressures to avoid synthetic azo colours, their association with potential carcinogenic attributes and the increasing popularity of green issues. Carminic acid is reputed to possess some anticancer activity (ref. 195,196) and is a distant structural relative of the antibiotics, carminomycin and carminomycinone. 

Cremers J (2008), Translucent high performance silica-aerogel insultation for membrane structures. Detail, English Edition, issue 4-2008, pp. 410-412 Cremers J (2009), Integration of photovoltaics in membrane structures. Detail Green, issue 1-2009, pp. 61-63... 

Such parties promoted themselves as alternatives to mainstream political parties in New Zealand, Australia, Canada, UK and Germany. At the same time many mainstream political parties began to adopt green issues in their manifestos. What follows is an introduction to the Green parties and does not include, due to limitations of space, reference to the green aspects of established political parties. 

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