American Chemical Society (ACS)
The American Chemical Society (ACS) is the largest scientific society in the world, boasting over 151,000 members, which include professional chemists and engineers. Headquartered in Washington, D.C., ACS operates as a nonprofit organization with a mission to advance the chemistry enterprise for the benefit of Earth and its people. The society comprises thirty-two technical divisions and 185 local sections, and it publishes key scientific works, such as the Journal of the American Chemical Society and the weekly Chemical and Engineering News.
ACS is actively involved in promoting scientific research and education, and it organizes various scientific meetings and resources for educators. Notably, the organization endorses the view that climate change is largely human-induced and calls for urgent action to address it. Through its Green Chemistry Institute, ACS encourages innovative solutions in the field of environmentally friendly chemistry, emphasizing a proactive approach to creating sustainable materials and practices. Additionally, ACS engages the public with initiatives like Earth Day activities and educational podcasts, highlighting chemistry's potential to address global challenges.
American Chemical Society (ACS)
Date: Established 1876
Mission
The American Chemical Society (ACS) is the world’s largest scientific society, with more than 151,000 members worldwide. Its members are professional chemists and engineers. It is a nonprofit organization headquartered in Washington, DC, with thirty-two technical divisions and 185 local sections. It publishes the weekly Chemical and Engineering News, the Journal of the American Chemical Society, and a number of other scientific journals. The organization’s ACS Strategic Plan, adopted by the ACS Board of Directors in 2020, provides its mission statement: “advancing the broader chemistry enterprise and its practitioners for the benefit of Earth and its people.” The society promotes interest in chemistry, as well as scientific research and education, and maintains a practical focus on solving problems and meeting challenges through chemistry. In addition to providing services for its members, the ACS sponsors scientific meetings and provides resources for educators.
Significance for Climate Change
The ACS officially endorses the position that climate change is anthropogenic and attributable in part to increases in greenhouse gases (GHGs) and particulate matter in Earth’s atmosphere. It asserts that urgent action is required to respond to these conditions. Recommendations in the ACS position statement on global climate change include working with international, national, state, and local leadership to coordinate response strategies, increasing funding for research, and promoting climate science literacy and education to better predict climate changes and their impact; GHG emission reductions; and increasing investments in technologies that conserve energy and use nonfossil fuel.
The ACS has formed the Green Chemistry Institute to promote the concept and techniques of green, or environmentally friendly, chemistry. According to the Green Chemistry Institute, Green chemistry differs from previous approaches to many environmental issues. Rather than using regulatory restrictions, it unleashes the creativity and innovation of our scientists and engineers in designing and discovering the next generation of chemicals and materials so that they provide increased performance and increased value while meeting all goals to protect and enhance human health and the environment.
The institute hosts annual green chemistry and engineering conferences. As part of its chemistry education activities, ACS plans annual activities in celebration of Earth Day and has created a series of podcasts presenting the problems facing humanity in the twenty-first century and the potential role of chemistry in solving those problems. The most recent ACS podcast series includes Orbitals and Tiny Matters, which premiered in 2022.
Bibliography
“About ACS.” ACS.org. American Chemical Society, n.d. Web. 23 Mar. 2015.
“ACS Strategic Plan.” American Chemical Society,www.acs.org/content/dam/acsorg/about/strategicplan/images/ACS-Strategic-Plan-2021.pdf. Accessed 9 Jan. 2023.
"Global Climate Change." American Chemical Society,www.acs.org/policy/publicpolicies/sustainability/globalclimatechange.html. Accessed 9 Jan. 2023.
"Green Chemistry." American Chemical Society,www.acs.org/greenchemistry.html. Accessed 9 Jan. 2023.
“What is Green Chemistry?” ACS.org. American Chemical Society, n.d. Web. 23 Mar. 2015.