The impact of a green chemistry and alternative energy course on science teacher students’ sustainability attitudes and self-reported environmental behavior

Purpose Green chemistry education is widely recognized as essential for equipping future science educators with the knowledge, values and competencies needed to address global sustainability challenges. Nevertheless, dedicated green chemistry courses within preservice teacher education remain rare, particularly in the Israeli higher education context. This study aims to examine the impact of a course titled Green Chemistry and Alternative Energy on preservice science teachers’ sustainability attitudes, environmental behavior, interest in chemistry and pedagogical readiness. Design/methodology/approach An explanatory sequential mixed-methods design was used. In total, 53 third-year Chemistry–Biology B.Ed. students at a teacher training college in northern Israel participated in a quasi-experimental pre–post study. Quantitative data were collected via two validated questionnaires, a 24-item sustainability attitudes scale (a = 0.95) and a 19-item chemistry interest scale (a = 0.81), administered before and after the 26-h semester course. Qualitative data were obtained through semi-structured interviews with ten purposively selected students and a 16-item course satisfaction survey. Findings Significant improvements were observed in sustainability attitudes across social (M: 4.0–4.4), economic (M: 3.6–4.0) and environmental (M: 3.9–4.2) dimensions. Interest in chemistry increased significantly in all submeasures (Chemistry in School: 3.5–4.0; Chemistry and Society: 3.3–3.6; Career in Chemistry: 3.3–3.9). A strong positive correlation was identified between sustainability attitudes and chemistry interest (r = 0.51, p < 0.01). All participants reported high course satisfaction. Qualitative findings confirmed heightened environmental awareness, stronger professional identity and increased readiness to integrate green chemistry into future teaching. Research limitations/implications The study is limited by its single-group quasi-experimental design, reliance on self-reported data and the potential predisposition of dual-major chemistry–biology students for environmental topics. Future research should use matched control groups and more heterogeneous samples. Practical implications The findings support formalizing green chemistry as a mandatory component of preservice teacher education. The course model offers a replicable template for curriculum developers and policymakers seeking to embed sustainability competencies into science teacher training. Social implications Equipping future teachers with sustainability competencies contributes to broader societal environmental awareness and responsible citizenship. Originality/value This study provides original empirical evidence from a context in which such interventions have been scarcely documented, contributing to the international knowledge base on sustainability-oriented teacher education. It demonstrates that a single dedicated course can produce significant cross-dimensional shifts in attitudes and professional readiness, offering a scalable model for higher education institutions.