IYC2011: My 3 Things List

The goals of IYC2011 are to increase the public appreciation of chemistry in meeting world needs, to encourage interest in chemistry among young people, and to generate enthusiasm for the creative future of chemistry.

This quote from the chemistry2011.org About IYC page gives us chemists a charge: Embrace the concept that 'Science is for Everyone' and help make science in general (and chemistry in particular) more accessible to a wider audience.

This is an awesome charge.  The message of the chemist can sometimes be misinterpreted or abused for a number of reasons.  One one end of the spectrum, chemistry can be derided as witchcraft of magic by those without a general understanding of the basics of chemistry.  On the other hand, chemistry can be proclaimed as an Absolute Truth for political purposes by those without a general understanding of the nuances of chemistry.  In the middle are misinterpretations and misunderstandings of the vagueness and imprecision of our esteemed field.

So as IYC2011 draws to a rapid close, what are the 3 things you would hope the general public would see as the take-home message about chemistry?  Here's my 3 Things list:

1. "Chemical" is not a pejorative.
2. Chemicals are everywhere.  In everything.  At all times.  There is no such thing as "chemical free."
3. For the most part, chemists are not vindictive, manipulative, political, or nefarious.  They're trying to make other people's lives better everyday.  Better Living through Chemistry is not just a slogan.

So what makes your 3 Things list?  Post your list in the comments, or on your own blog.  If you blog about it yourself, let me know and I'll compile a list of everyone's 3 Things lists as updates to this post.

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