CHEM 121 glossary
Green chemistry
Designing chemical products and processes that reduce or eliminate waste and hazardous substances over their whole life cycle, summed up in Anastas and Warner's 12 principles. Preventing waste in the first place beats treating it afterwards.
Example
The BHC synthesis of ibuprofen replaced a 6-step route (about 40% atom economy) with 3 catalytic steps (about 77%), cutting both waste and energy.