Cleaner Development for Safe and Sustainable Living on Earth

Cleaner production is defined as the continuous application of an integrated preventive strategy for environmental protection in the developmental processes applied to products and services in industries & business organizations to increase overall efficiency and reduce risks to humans and the environment from the hazardous chemicals and materials used in the production process. Cleaner production requires applying know-how, improving technology and changing attitudes. Since 1950, there has been a tremendous increase in the production of diverse chemicals to satisfy our demands for consumer goods. According to the UNEP, worldwide nearly 80,000 chemicals are used every day and about 1500 new chemicals are added every year. A green chemistry movement is going on to develop environmentally benign chemicals and chemical processes to be applied in chemical industries and industries depending on chemicals such as paper, plastic, textile, dyeing, printing, photography, agriculture, and electronics. Clean air, water and food are the basis of life on earth. Combustion of fossil fuels in industries, for power generation and in automobiles is the major source (90-95 %) of chemical air pollutants and greenhouse gas emissions. Promotion of solar, wind, and hydrogen fuel technology will completely eliminate them. Eco-efficiency in use of raw materials, water and energy resources is also important because the natural resources of Earth are finite, and their demand is getting infinite with an increasing population and growing consumerism all over world. Eco-efficiency will also reduce waste and pollution, and GHG emissions with economic gains for the industries.