GREEN Doodles part 2

Upon seeing your interest in green after last week’s blog post, we decided to give you more information on what “GREEN” means in different chapters of our lives.  This week we will see what is hidden behind the color green in science, how is green seen in the fantasy world and what is green about religion.

Green in science

Many minerals provide pigments which have been used in green paints and dyes over the centuries. Pigments, in this case, are minerals which reflect the color green, rather that emitting it. The number of green pigments and minerals is so large that it will take us forever to name them all, so you have to just believe us. One of the few we will mention however is the emerald, which is colored green by trace amounts of chromium and sometimes vanadium and is thought by many to have the most beautiful and inciting shade of green. Copper is the source of the green color in malachite pigments, chemically known as basic copper carbonate. An interesting fact is that a long time ago, at the beginning of paintings, painters would use copper in the form of verdigris mixed with wax and turpentine to create green pigmentation in paints. Mixtures of oxidized cobalt and zinc were also used to create green paints as early as the 18th century.

There is no natural source for green food colorings which has been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration. However, chlorophyll, the E numbers E140 and E141, is the most common green chemical found in nature, and only allowed in certain medicines and cosmetic materials. Green S (E142) is prohibited in many countries, for it is known to cause hyperactivity, asthma, urticaria, and insomnia. Apparently, not everything about green is calming, relaxing and pain relieving.

In order to create green sparks, which we love when talking about any kind of party, fireworks use barium salts. Smoke can be turned into green shades by a mixture of different chemicals, like: solvent green 3 or lactose.

Green is common in nature, as many plants are green because of a complex chemical known as chlorophyll which is involved in photosynthesis. Animals typically use the color green as camouflage, blending in with the chlorophyll green of the surrounding environment. Most fish, reptiles, amphibians, and birds appear green because of a reflection of blue light coming through an over-layer of yellow pigment, but the perception of color can also be affected by the surrounding environment.

Green in both old and fantasy worlds

In many folklores and literatures, green symbolizes nature and all of its attributes, particularly those of life, fertility, and rebirth, but also resurrection and immortality in Ancient Egypt: the god Osiris was depicted as green-skinned. Stories of the medieval period talk about green as representing love and the base, natural desires of man. The Chinese term for cuckold is “to wear a green hat“, that is why it is extremely rare to see any Chinese man wearing a green hat. Green is also used to describe jealousy and envy.

We have also discovered that green has signified witchcraft, devilry and evil because of its association with faeries and spirits in the early English folklore. Because of its association with decay, actor Bela Lugosi wore green-hued makeup for the role of Dracula in the 1927–28 Broadway stage production. In the Celtic tradition as well, green was avoided in clothing for its association with misfortune and death. Green is thought to be an unlucky color in British and British-derived cultures, where cars, wedding dresses, and theater costumes green are all the objects of grim superstition.

Green in religion

Green is known to be the traditional color of Islam and there are several reasons for this, but the two most important and worth-mentioning are that Muhammad says that “water, greenery, and a beautiful face” were the three universally good things and the second one is because, for the Islamic people, green symbolizes the Paradise. This idea came ever since the desert-dwelling Bedouin tribes gathered at an oasis, so rare to be found.

Roman Catholics are known to wear green vestments at liturgical celebrations during Ordinary Time. Green is one of the Christmas colors as well; this is dating back to pre-Christian times, when evergreens were worshiped for their ability to maintain their color through the winter season. Romans used green holly and evergreen as decorations for their winter solstice celebration called Saturnalia, which eventually evolved into a Christmas celebration.

This sums up the second part of the doodles we are sharing with you today. We really hope you had fun reading them and maybe you have enriched your acknowledgments concerning green a bit more. Next week we will bring you into our times, talking about famous green characters, quotes about green, but also living green.