Department of Biological Sciences: "My Green Labs" certification

 

The Department of Biological Sciences undergraduate and research labs recently underwent certification by My Green Labs. The aim of this initiative is to reduce the departments laboratories' environmental impact in four key areas – energy, water, waste, and chemical use – through a combination of organisational initiatives and behaviour change programs. This initiative involves scientists working together in efforts to minimise environmental impacts, build a culture of sustainability in the lab, advance sustainability goals and identify waste-reduction opportunities.

We recently completed the process, and a report and results were returned to us. 

We are delighted to announce the Undergraduate Labs scored 84% overall, putting them in the Green Certification Level. The Research Labs scored 76% overall, putting them in the Platinum Certification Level. 

The highest level attainable is Green with Platinum the second highest level so both these results are excellent and an improvement >30% from initial report.

The main ethos of this initiative is to implement behavioural changes to make the biggest environmental impact. There are a few key points highlighted during this process. People pay attention to what their peers do, especially friends, family, co-workers, and neighbours. Create norming behaviour in your lab is key to success. A representative from each lab along with the technical team came together to form the departments ‘Green Team’ where responsibility for sustainability is shared across lab members and staff. The Green Team will revisit topics regularly to help train new people and explore new innovations and is always open to new members and new ideas.

The changes we have implemented to date are a starting point and our aim is by working together, working with Buildings & Estates (UL) and with other institutions nationally we will continue to make impactful changes. These changes can be small, and your lab will be more likely to succeed in starting sustainable practices if those new actions are convenient to do.

My Green Labs @ Biological Sciences Department in UL

 

Working "green" (environmentally sensitive, resource-efficient, and socially responsible) in laboratories has become the gold standard in both the Biological Sciences department undergraduate and research labs. Together with My Green Labs, all laboratory work carried out within the Biological Sciences department has adopted 'Green Lab' practices and programs. The aim of this initiative is to reduce the departments laboratories' environmental impact in four key areas – energy, water, waste, and chemical use – through a combination of organisational initiatives and behaviour change programs.

The aims of this initiative are to involve scientists in efforts to minimise environmental impacts, build a culture of sustainability in the lab, advance sustainability goals and identify waste-reduction opportunities. The departments Green team are working closely with UL’s Building & Estate department and has signed up to the ‘Optimising Power at work’ initiative at the University of Limerick.

This initiative is run in conjunction with the Office of Public Works and involves monitoring a number of buildings on Campus for energy efficiency. Among some of the new measures we have introduced includes a traffic light system for electrical equipment where, using coloured stickers, equipment is turned off as soon as its not in use. Ultra-low temperature freezers (ULT, -80°C) are one of the most energy-intensive pieces of equipment found in labs and can be operated more efficiently by implementing simple cold-storage management best practices. Among these measures include an increase of running temperature from -80c to -70c. This change in temperature of 10c results in up to 30% less energy consumption.

The Biological Sciences department are the first labs nationally to include the undergraduate labs and students in the initiative and we will introduce the plan to all new students and returning students starting in Semester 2 2022. The sum of these small changes will lead to a large impact on the sustainability of labs going forward and by focussing on behavioural changes we hope to change of mindset to build on this culture within the laboratories.

The Green Team includes:

 Jacqueline Kennedy (Project leader)

Edel Durack (Project leader)

Martina O’Keeffe

Valerie Cliffe

Mary Barrett

Stephanie Brosnan

Etaoin Murphy

Azza Naik

Miriam Stiavnicka

Harishkumar Rajendran

Murali Kumar

Lea Deinert

Elisa DiCarlo

Elizabeth Ryan