Green Lab Tips
Our green lab tip articles can help biologists to reduce laboratory waste, use green chemistry, conserve water and save energy.
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Compare the EPA’s basic environmental hierarchy for non-hazardous waste disposal to your lab work materials and the best locally available disposal options. Then add your own images to customize this open access lab recycling signage.
Read MoreReusing pipette tip boxes by refilling pipette tips purchased in bulk and autoclaving has been going on in green biology labs forever. The drawback is the time it takes. Cheers and credit to easylabsolutions on youtube for demonstrating this 3D printed device!
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Labconscious thanks Steve Miller for sharing this green lab tip on a program to help raise vaccine cold storage and research capacities. Steve manages the High-performance Lab Initiative at Eversource. It was clear from our conversation that Steve has compassion for people waiting to get the first COVID-19 vaccines. Likewise, Eversource has instigated a program to support the rollout. Happily, Massachusetts has taken the Eversource initiative and made it into a statewide program for utilities. We hope that this approach will keep spreading!
Read MoreMake no mistake, masks are vital source control barriers to COVID-19 transmission. Biologists have a unique opportunity to lead by example with effective mask-wearing. We can take it further by incorporating sustainability into mask use. To do this well, we need to consider the mask issue from multiple perspectives. The CDC and an analysis by the University of College London (UCL) Plastic Waste Innovation Hub each provide key insights to help assess mask designs.
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Since many biology labs are working at limited capacity due to COVID-19 , I wondered if any of the UV disinfection technologies used in the healthcare sector could improve safety and sustainability in biology workspaces. To consider any practical options, I dug up some recent studies and spoke with the Director of the University of New Hampshire Environmental Engineering Research Group, James Malley Ph.D., who is a respected expert on UV theory and practice. It turns out that there are strict scenarios for UV technology to improve safety and sustainability.
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It’s a good time to plan for future disruptions by adding flexibility in your laboratory workflow. Continuing lab work will be based on more than social distancing requirements. Your lab materials choices, your organization systems, and even your sterilization systems factor into lab productivity. Read on to learn green lab tips that could help you to foster independence and ultimately also protect the environment and human health.
Read MoreLabconscious is an open resource for biologists to support sustainability and green laboratory work to reduce the environmental footprint of bench science.
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