​Five Strategies to Empower Laboratories for a Greener Tomorrow

The celebration of Earth Day serves as a reminder for us to reflect on our relationship with the planet and the impact of our actions. Every facet of our lives intertwines with the environment, both personally and professionally. In the laboratory, where innovation and scientific advancement take center stage, our impact may often go unnoticed.
 
This Earth Day, let’s collectively examine how our actions within the laboratory extend beyond its walls and commit to meaningful steps towards positive change. By building a culture of sustainability, and embracing the idea that our actions can, and should, change, we pave the way for a greener, healthier future. 
 
To capture the spirit of Earth Day, we've shared five actionable approaches aimed at fostering a culture of sustainability within laboratory settings.
 
1. The My Green Lab Theory of Change
 
At My Green Lab, our goal is to empower individuals to contribute to a culture of change in their organization. In order to engage and inspire colleagues and those in your community to make sustainable change, it can be helpful to situate behavior within a “Theory of Change” framework.

The Theory of Change begins with awareness. First, we must become aware that there is a problem and understand that we can behave differently. This awareness drives action – breaking old habits to make way for new behaviors. Through actionable pathways to learning and implementing sustainability best practices, you build the confidence to continue going further in making a difference. This confidence will allow you to take leadership of initiatives, inspiring others around you to follow in your footsteps.  As more people begin to adopt new behaviors, these practices become the norm, creating a positive and lasting culture of sustainability. As this culture grows, sustainability practices become institutionalized through policies, procedures, and organization level goals. And a collection of organizations with sustainable lab cultures creates a global community of passionate and active sustainability champions that fundamentally shift the way science is conducted.
 
The strength of this approach lies in its accessibility; even if you don’t currently have institutional support for your sustainability ideas and initiatives, you can start anyway, with individual awareness, collective action, and leadership. Build the momentum that will result in cultural change in your lab and in the global community. By fostering momentum, you can drive cultural shifts within your laboratory and contribute to broader global change.
 
2. The Power of Community
 
Community plays a pivotal role in driving sustainable action. Through shared experiences and collective efforts, individuals in and around the lab learn, grow, and hold each other accountable.
 
Embrace the power of community by spreading awareness and sharing the knowledge you’ve learned with those around you. “Our hearts and minds can be more easily moved by those closest to us,” says My Green Lab’s Senior Programs Manager Christina Greever-Wilson. “This is why we shouldn’t be shy about sharing our own lab sustainability goals – and successes – with others in our network. For someone who is on the fence about sustainability, hearing from a friend or colleague in their own community about the ease of making sustainable actions can make a huge difference.” 
 
3. Leadership and Communication
 
Clear communication and regular engagement with stakeholders are crucial for embedding sustainability into the culture of your lab or organization. When thinking about and planning your lab’s sustainability journey, provide ample opportunity for input and feedback, especially from scientific teams, who often have valuable insights into resource consumption and can test new sustainable protocols and processes. By actively listening to stakeholder ideas, the entire community becomes invested in the sustainability process.
 
Beyond adopting sustainable practices, leaders must actively engage stakeholders and foster a collaborative environment where everyone feels empowered to contribute to positive change. Regular communication channels, such as meetings, newsletters, or digital platforms, provide opportunities to celebrate successes, address challenges, and keep sustainability goals at the forefront of everyone's minds.
 
Ultimately, by prioritizing transparent communication and inclusive leadership, laboratories can foster a culture where sustainability is embraced as a core value and integrated into everyday practices.
 
4. Small Yet Impactful Sustainability Practices Matter

Seemingly small changes in laboratory operations can have a significant impact on sustainability. Take, for instance, the simple act of sharing printers among colleagues or setting up printers to default to double-sided, black-and-white mode. This not only reduces paper waste but also contributes to a cleaner laboratory environment by minimizing clutter.
 
Does checking for leaky faucets sound too simple? It shouldn’t! Leaky faucets that drip once per second can waste 3,000 gallons of water per year. According to the US EPA, that’s enough water for more than 180 showers!
 
Minor adjustments not only contribute to environmental conservation but also foster a culture of sustainability within the laboratory community, where every individual action counts towards a greener future. By emphasizing the importance of individual actions and illustrating the tangible benefits of sustainability practices, leaders can inspire a collective commitment to minimizing environmental footprints. Moreover, by highlighting the cumulative effect of these efforts, laboratories can underscore the significance of every contribution, no matter how modest, in advancing the goal of a greener future.
 
5. Planet vs. Plastics
 
This year’s Earth Day theme is Planet vs. Plastics, with earthday.org calling for a 60% reduction in the production of all plastics by 2040. Without a doubt, plastic remains one of the most commonly discarded materials in laboratories. Plastic is everywhere in the lab, from tube racks and pipette tips to conical vials and filtration flasks, with the list constantly expanding as research and industries discover new applications for plastic. And while some of this plastic is necessary, there are ways to reduce and reuse, as well as considerations for a plastic to have a different end of life.
 
Our team has put together a variety of resources to help you kickstart your waste reduction journey. Read our blog post on How to Reduce Waste in the Laboratory, or guest contributions like Sustainable Pipetting: Tips for Reducing Plastic Usage in the Lab and How To Kickstart Your Waste Reduction Journey.
 
Additionally, those interested in a deeper dive into lab waste can sign up for My Green Lab’s Accredited Professional (AP) Program Module on Waste.
 
Continuous Improvement
 
While Earth Month is a significant time to reflect on how our actions impact the earth, it’s important to recognize that your journey doesn’t end here. The path towards a truly sustainable future requires a commitment to continuous improvement. By remaining vigilant, receptive to new ideas, and dedicated to refining your practices, we can build upon our successes and drive even greater positive change.
 
Embrace the challenge of constant evolution, knowing that every step forward, no matter how small, brings us closer to a more sustainable tomorrow. Together, let's continue to communicate, educate, and inspire, ensuring that our laboratories not only lead the way in scientific discovery but also serve as beacons of environmental stewardship for generations to come.