Green is not a primary color. It is often considered one of the additive primary colors. It is a mixture of yellow and blue. On the RGB color wheel the complement of green is magenta, which is an equal mixture of red and blue. In traditional color theory its complement would be red.
Green is closely related to the Old English verb “growan” meaning to grow. Many language families, such as Germanic, Romance, Slavic and Greek, have old terms for green, which are derived from the words for fresh, sprouting vegetation. In this way, green often represents nature. Green can also refer to someone who is inexperienced, jealous, or sick. Also, someone who works well with plants is said to have a green thumb. In areas where the U.S. Dollar is used as currency, green carries a connotation of money, wealth, and capitalism because green is the color of U.S. banknotes. Thus, green can also be used as a slang term for money.
Green is seen in nature in many ways. Several minerals are green color. Animals such as many amphibians and reptiles, as well some fish, insects, and birds are green in color. Most animals appear green because of a reflection of blue light coming through and over-layer of yellow pigment. But the largest of nature’s green color comes from its plants. This is due to chlorophyll, the chemical used by plants in photosynthesis. Chlorophyll does not absorb green light because it first arose in organisms living in oceans where purple halobacteria were already exploiting photosynthesis. Thus, chlorophyll arose to exploit the portions of the spectrum not used by halobacteria. Through evolution many animals have adapted a green color to camouflage themselves within their environments. Interestingly, we human have imitated this color adaption by wearing green clothing as a camouflage in military and other fields.
Culturally, green can have varied and sometimes contradictory meanings. In some cultures, green symbolizes hope and growth, while in others it is associated with death, sickness, envy, or the devil. Stories of the medieval period portray it as representing love and the base, natural desires of man. Green is also known to have signified witchcraft, devilry and evil for its association with faeries and spirits of early English folklore. It was also associated with decay and toxicity. Most commonly though, green is associated with nature. Islam, for example, venerates the color because it expects paradise to be full of lush greenery. Green is also associated with regeneration, fertility, and rebirth due to its connection with nature. In Ancient Egypt green was symbolic of resurrection and immortality – the god Osiris was depicted as green-skinned. Political and advocacy groups today have adopted this color as part of who they are – sometimes, directly in the name. The green movement, the Green Party, and the Global Green Network are examples of this. Environmentally friendly products are considered to be “green”.
Several countries use green on their flags for symbolic or cultural reasons. Several African countries use green on their flags because they borrowed it from the Ethiopian flag, which is one of the oldest independent African nations. Many flags in the Islamic world are green because it is considered sacred in Islam. In the run-up to Iran’s 2009 presidential election, the reformist candidate Mir-Hossein Mousavi chose green as his campaign color – it became pervasive amongst his supporters during the campaign and was often seen being used symbolically in the post-election protests. In India, green is the lowest of the three color bands and stands for fertility and prosperity. Earlier Indian flags also contained a green band representing Islam, the second-most predominant religion in India. In Jamaica, green is used in its flag to represent the country’s lush vegetation. Green is a symbol of Ireland, which is often referred to as the “Emerald Isle”.
Green is a part of many religions and religious ceremonies. Green is considered a traditional color of Islam. Muhammad is quoted in a hadith as saying that “water, greenery, and a beautiful face” were three universally good things. In the Qur’an, sura Al-Insan, believers in God in Paradise wear fine green silk. Also, Al-Khidr – “The Green One” – is a Qur’anic figure who met and traveled with Moses. Roman Catholic and more traditional Protestant clergy wear green vestments at liturgical celebrations during Ordinary Time. In the Eastern Catholic Church, green is the color of Pentecost. Green is one the Christmas colors as well, possibly dating back to pre-Christian times, when evergreens were worshipped for their ability to maintain their color through the winter season. In Ireland and Scotland, green is used to represent Catholics.
