Research and innovation are preconditions for the transformation of economic and social processes in favor of a sustainable development. Chemistry, the science and practice of the transformation of matter, is of central importance. Everyone dealing with chemistry can contribute substantially to sustainable development and holds special responsibility. Already in education the links between reactions and substances with the consumption of energy and resources, toxicology and environmental pollution have to be treated consciously, so that graduates can provide for them in their professional life. The acronym NOP is derived from German words: N stands for "Nachhaltigkeit" (sustainability), O stands for "Organische Chemie" (organic chemistry), and P stands for "Praktikum" (lab course). Therefore, NOP means something like "Sustainability in the organic chemistry lab course". The NOP was developed from 2000 to 2003 as an "Organic chemistry lab course for the new milennium", sponsored by the foundation "Germanye Bundesstiftung Umwelt (see the Impressum for a list of contributors). The first version was published in March 2003. Since March 2005 an introductory booklet in German is available for this version including the whole German website on a CD featuring 75 experiments and the substance information for them. The website ‘sustainability in the organic chemistry lab course (NOP-online)’ provides instructions for experiments in organic chemistry as well as information about the properties of the used chemicals including toxicological information. The fundamental idea of the website is the certainty that everybody concerned with chemistry, including future chemists, can contribute substantially to sustainable development and they hold special responsibility not only for their own health but also for the environment. Students have to be aware of the links between reactions and substances with the consumption of energy, resources, toxicology, safety aspects and environmental pollution. These are skills which graduates will need in their professional life.
Level of Education: Continuing vocational education and training
Lead Organisation: NOP Project Team (Universities of, Bremen, Jena, Munich, Oldenburg and Regensburg)
