Toxicology: What Chemists Don't Know Might Hurt You

Complete video at: http://fora.tv/2010/03/10/Chasing_Molecules_The_Promise_of_Green_Chemistry

Elizabeth Grossman, author of Chasing Molecules, marvels at the fact that learning basic toxicology is not a requirement for a degree in chemistry. "Chemists are never required to take a course," she says, "that would train you to look for these kinds of environmental and health impacts."

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There is substantial evidence that environmental conditions and environmental pollutants -- among them synthetic chemicals in consumer products -- have a profound effect on human health.

Elizabeth Grossman, author of Chasing Molecules: Poisonous Products, Human Health, and the Promise of Green Chemistry, illustrates the potential for green chemistry to revolutionize the materials we make, how they're used, and the possible benefits to our health and environment. - Commonwealth Club of California

Elizabeth Grossman is the author of Watershed: The Undamming of America, Adventuring Along the Lewis and Clark Trail and co-editor of Shadow Cat: Encountering the American Mountain Lion.

Her work has appeared in a variety of publications including The Nation, Orion, The Seattle Times, and the Washington Post. She lives in Portland, Oregon.

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[strauchdarren]

thanks for the tutorials

[MrBau06109]

"He had no idea what made a molecule toxic" A bizzare phrase seeing as the toxicity both in cause and dose of one substance over another is down to so many different reasons. We all know mercury or benzene are toxic but anything can be toxic even things essential in the right quantities like vitamin A. Surley any chemist knows this?

[makavelishaman]

i dont really like women but she's an exception

[freesk8]

@TheGodlessGuitarist And how are these requirements enforced?

Is there anything other than laws that she could be referring to?

[TheGodlessGuitarist]

"I DO have a problem with these standards being required by law."

Who said anything about law? Standards are lists of requirements!

[irregardlessable]

insight based on an anecdote, a vague solution thats not clearly linked to whats being sold.. but no doubt people will see this and assume theres a serious problem that "green chemistry" can fix.

[M1ST3RHYDE]

What you Say is True But What if Madame Curie Said Wait, Lets see if This X-Ray Stuff is going to kill me before I Do anything With it Then the World would be A much Queerer place to live & I assure you that Most of the people alive today would Never have existed. The same goes for Any advancment live the Vikings deciding to come to america Us to the Moon & OuterSpace.

[freesk8]

@TheGodlessGuitarist I have no problem with the AMA promulgating a list of "best practices" or publishing the latest research on effective treatments.

I DO have a problem with these standards being required by law. That DOES lead to a loss of liberty, and the extreme loss of liberty is indeed slavery.

[freesk8]

@TheGodlessGuitarist No, she specifically mentions "requirements." She is advocating legislation, not voluntary ethical standards.

Legislation slows down the pace of progress.

[TheGodlessGuitarist]

"Ben Franklin said, those who would sacrifice essential liberty for a little temporary safety deserve neither."

And I agree with that sentiment, but he was referring to things like suspension of habeus corpus, flouting the democratic process, you know basically anything that George Bush did.

I don't see how liberty is being sacrificed by raising awareness. Perhaps we shouldn't demand that surgeons learn the best surgical standards? that leads to slavery LOL