Beyond green chemistry: Radical environmental transformation through Sanfte Chemie (1985–1995).

The article focuses on the concept of *Sanfte Chemie* ("soft chemistry"), a radical sustainability-oriented framework developed in 1980s Germany by environmentally conscious scholars associated with the German Green Party. Unlike later approaches such as green or sustainable chemistry, Sanfte Chemie sought a profound epistemological transformation of chemistry, emphasizing nature as a living, evolutionary system and advocating for chemistry that respects natural complexity, minimizes intervention, and adopts a dialogical rather than exploitative experimental approach. Rooted in diverse intellectual traditions—including post-Marxist critique, eco-criticism, and German Naturphilosophie—the movement aimed to overhaul both chemical science and industry toward sustainability but lost political traction in the 1990s. Despite limited direct influence on mainstream chemistry, Sanfte Chemie anticipated many principles now central to sustainable chemistry and offers a philosophically rich alternative perspective on addressing environmental crises.