Editor and General Manager
A loose definition of sustainability would go something like, “Practices that foster energy savings and reduce pollution.” A more focused definition, related to the original meaning of the word, is “Development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs” (The Brundtland Report, 1987). That’s a lot bigger challenge, and an important one for scientists in many ways.
As noted on mygreenlab.org, “Laboratories are one of the next major frontiers in sustainability.” This is because they “…consume as much as five times more energy per square foot than typical offices.” Thus, for a number of reasons, any advances that can be made in labs can have a big impact.
Why do labs use more energy? The big culprits are fume hoods/safety cabinets and freezers. But manufacturers are making advances in the design of these units, with system upgrades that improve energy performance. More importantly, lab staff can do a lot to impact energy consumption.
Like what? Lots of things, actually, from the mundane to the highly nuanced. A great suggestion, from Jean Fallacara, CEO of Z-SC1, a Westmount, Quebec manufacturer of freezers and refrigerators, “Read the manual.” This step is so often skipped, but the documentation often contains a wealth of useful information, including steps for reducing energy usage. Check with salespeople and tech support. Use online resources (see list below). Interviews with manufacturers reveal that scientists often do things in, let’s say, suboptimal ways. These behaviors are often institutionalized and passed along. Many practices can be optimized to save energy, reduce costs and often protect samples and personnel. Some examples: shut off fume hoods after use and thoroughly clean them (this will be easy because the interior will be uncluttered, thus providing consistent airflow). Before beginning another procedure, clean the hood again. Why this example? I’ve received more than one report in which a lab left a hood running around the clock, thinking that would be safer. To use freezers more efficiently, know where samples are stored, plan to remove everything you need when you open the unit and get everything out quickly. (Freezer inventory management software is a big plus.)
The other area of concern is waste. A mygreenlab.com post cites a 2015 article in Nature estimating that “lab plastics accounted for 5.5 million tons of waste in 2014,” thus “equating lab plastic waste with 83% of the total plastic recycled worldwide in 2012.” Some suggestions: use glass when possible, buy recycled materials when possible, look for packaging made with recycled materials. Instruments and apparatus are important parts of the waste chain as well. Some vendors are starting to use recycled materials in instrument construction. Look into donating out-of-service instruments to underfunded labs worldwide (seedinglabs.org), which will keep them out of the landfill.
Of course, chemicals and chemical waste are a huge part of creating a truly sustainable program. Use nontoxic replacement chemicals when practical and, of course, follow EPA and state DEP guidelines regarding disposal and waste handling.
In May of this year, Bloomberg News, citing an International Renewable Energy Agency report, ran a graphic entitled, “There Are More Jobs in Solar [energy] than Oil and Gas, Coal Extraction in the U.S.” While the solar (and wind) energy sectors rapidly expand their workforces, oil and gas producers worldwide are cutting jobs. (Job growth is important—people tend to support something that helps them or others they know make a living. Employment growth is a piece of this story that the anti-renewables crowd [the entrenched, pro fossil-fuels crowd] has long ignored.) While lagging behind some more committed countries, the U.S. is beginning to catch up.
The big news this year—the U.S. and China agreeing to formally ratify the Paris Agreement on climate change—brings the world’s biggest emitters into the fold of nations committed to reducing the impact of greenhouse gases on the climate. Meanwhile, as this is written, any number of organizations are working on developing better solar panels, practical carbon sequestration schemes, emission reduction plans and more. It’s a start.
Many institutions have started sustainability programs of their own—good news, but at this point they are for the most part one-off operations. There are no national guidelines as to processes and practices. Incentives to make labs sustainable remain economic and moral compunction. (In corporate settings, sustainability endeavors are often included in broader corporate social responsibility (known as CSR) efforts. These early programs provide guides for those seeking to hop on the (zero emissions) sustainability train. Here’s a list of useful resources: don’t print it; save it to the hard drive.
Time to shut down for the day.
Steve Ernst is editor and general manager, American Laboratory/Labcompare; [email protected]