VSU Tolosa collabs with Beyond Benign for green chemistry education

Established in 2007 by Dr. Amy Cannon and Dr. John Warner, Beyond Benign aims to empower educators, students, and the community in the practice of sustainability through green chemistry.

VSU Tolosa is the first and lone higher education institution in the Philippines to sign with the Green Chemistry Commitment (GCC) through the project GrEAT2 (Green Education Academic Transition Tolosa) led by Mr. Jerald Villarmino and Ms. Aira Anibail Llevado, along with the chemistry faculty, in implementing green chemistry education.

“This partnership marked a historic milestone, as VSU Tolosa became the first higher education institution in the Philippines to undertake such a commitment. Our collaboration aimed to integrate sustainable chemistry into our curriculum, enhance our students' educational experiences, and establish our institution as a leader in green chemistry education in the country,” Mr. Villarmino explained.

According to the project leader, VSU Tolosa entered into a consortium with Beyond Benign on October 11, 2023. Through their efforts, VSU Tolosa was among the 13 institutions selected by Beyond Benign as Green Chemistry Education Challenge Award winners.

VSU Tolosa was awarded a $5,000 grant to support the adoption of green chemistry into the curriculum and initiatives of the institution.

“Under the leadership of Aira Llevado and myself, the application received strong support from our dedicated chemistry faculty and the administration, particularly from Ms. Syra Cinco (former head of DAS), Dr. Ilona Jean Vivo (former dean of CTEAS), and our Chancellor, Dr. Quenstein Lauzon,” he shared.

With the grant funds received, VSU Tolosa was able to advance its green chemistry initiatives and successfully acquired three EPSON projectors, three projector stands, a 55-inch LG Smart TV, and four organic molecule model kits.

“These resources helped improve our teaching capabilities and enabled our faculty to revise the chemistry curriculum, ensuring it incorporated green chemistry principles that aligned with current sustainability goals.”

In this project, VSU Tolosa will “implement and include green chemistry content, principles, and materials across all chemistry lectures and laboratory courses.”

“Undergraduate students will be enabled and empowered to apply green chemistry skills and knowledge outside of their educational courses. Ultimately, this comprehensive integration of green chemistry content will help to create a culture of awareness at Visayas State University Tolosa and throughout institutions in the Philippines,” Beyond Benign stated on their website.

As the project progresses, VSU Tolosa will soon produce a summary report highlighting its achievements and the positive impacts of green chemistry education on student learning and their appreciation for chemical sustainability.

Along with VSU Tolosa in the Green Chemistry Education Challenge Awards are Ambrose University, City University of Hong Kong, Georgia Gwinnett College, Harrisburg University of Science and Technology, McGill University, Tai Solarin University of Education, Universidade Estadual de Ponta Grossa, University of Calgary, University of Toronto, California State University, San Marcos, Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico, and the Stella and Charles Guttman Community College.

This article aligns with Sustainable Development Goals No: 4 (Quality Education) and 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities).