Want to “Go Green” in your lab?
Here are 10 Tips to Get You Started
Careful use of your research tools and equipment can minimize your environmental footprint and save you money. Make your lab a little greener today by following these simple tips…
- Turn off the lights (when you’re not in the room, of course).
- Switch off unused equipment.
- Organize your -80°C freezer better – whenever you have to dig around looking for samples you leave the door open. This increases the temperature inside, which takes energy to rectify once the door is closed again.
- Empty your freezers and fridges – while we’re in the freezer (or fridge), are there any samples or reagents you can safely store at room temperature (or even throw away)? This could free up space and reduce the number of storage units you need.
- Reduce your transport footprint by planning ahead and consolidating all of your orders with each supplier into one shipment where possible.
- Recycle – glass, plastic and paper are just some of the things that can be recycled in the lab. Make sure you have plenty of well-labeled recycle bins around.
- Select greener products and equipment – Many companies now offer environmentally-conscious kits and equipment, housed in recyclable packaging and produced using sustainable practices. If you can, buy from these companies.
- Swap hazardous chemicals for more friendly alternatives – MIT offers an online ‘Green Chemical Alternative Wizard’ database, helping you to swap dangerous chemicals (which are usually more difficult to safely produce, transport and store, and therefore more expensive) for friendlier, often cheaper, alternatives.
- Run a green office – the modern scientist spends nearly as much time on their computer as at their bench these days, so be sure to apply these green principles in both your lab and your office space. The easiest win is to set your computer to sleep whenever you are away for more than 5 minutes at a time, but there are plenty more.
- Revisit your green practices from time to time. Running a green lab is an ongoing process. Stay on top of latest developments in lab equipment and reagents – maybe these new tools could further reduce your environmental footprint and save you money and time in the future.
Here at BaneBio we want to help you go green with more sustainable solutions for your laboratory! When you buy used lab equipment, it reduces waste and landfill emissions creating a more positive impact on the environment. At BaneBio our pieces are eco-friendly because they are pre-owned, tested, and regenerated, and we stand by our products with a 30-day warranty. We encourage you to buy used – not only because of the sustainability factor, but also because it can save you up 50-80% on your laboratory equipment costs! We provide for customers across the country and our sales team can be easily reached at 855-777-2322 or by emailing [email protected].
Let us help you reduce your environmental footprint! We also buy used scientific lab equipment, so if you are thinking of closing your lab, relocating, or replacing your old equipment we would love to hear from you! Call us at 855-777-2322 or email us at [email protected] and see how we can help!
Reference: Melanie Le Sage (2014). Top 10 Tips for Running a Greener Lab. Retrieved from Elga Lab Water: http://bit.ly/2bGTIoH