Laboratories are essential spaces for innovation and discovery, but they also rank among the most energy-intensive environments in any sector, second only to data centers in energy use per square foot. From specialized equipment to temperature-controlled storage, labs consume a tremendous amount of energy every day.

​The good news? There are many practical, proven steps you can take to reduce that impact without compromising scientific output. Whether you’re just starting your sustainability journey or looking to deepen your lab’s commitment to sustainability, here are 8 impactful actions you can take today to improve energy efficiency in the lab.

1. Close fume hood sashes when not in use

Variable air velocity fume hoods can consume around 3.5 homes’ worth of energy per day. Whereas constant air velocity fume hoods use the same amount of energy whether they’re open or closed, variable air velocity fume hoods, when open, use a whopping 110 kWh/day.

Fume hoods contain exhaust fans that help circulate air through both the hood and the lab. When the fume hood sash is open, these fans pull in large volumes of conditioned air that has been heated or cooled, only to exhaust it outside. This constant cycle of reheating and recooling of air significantly increases energy use. By shutting the sash, you’ll reduce the amount of air being wasted, thus saving a great deal of energy.

2. Put autoclaves in standby mode and only run when full

Autoclaves consume 84 kWh/day. Specifically, large, steam-jacketed or medical grade autoclaves are massive energy consumers. Ensure you’re putting them into an energy-conserving or stand-by mode when not in use, and only run them when they are full to maximize efficiency.

3. Set ultra-low temperature freezers to -70 C instead of -80 C

Ultra-low temperature (ULT) freezers, particularly older models, can consume about 25-30 kWh/day, which is as much energy as a typical home uses in a day. Setting ULT freezers, particularly those that are 10-15 years old, to -70°C instead of -80°C can save up to 30% of this energy with minimal impact on sample integrity.

To learn more about how to optimize the sustainability of lab cold storage management, visit our Freezer Challenge.

4. Turn off equipment when not in use

There is a lot of variability in how much energy your lab equipment consumes. Many high-energy devices with big fan components (like biosafety cabinets), with heating or cooling elements (like drying ovens, incubators, or water baths), or those that require vacuum (like vacuum pumps), are found in a lab. Turning this equipment off when it’s not in use, or on nights and weekends, can have a big impact on energy usage. Plug load makes up about 20% of energy consumption in a lab. For U.S. labs, reducing plug load by just 10% is the equivalent of taking around 650,000 cars off the road.

You can simply remember to unplug the equipment, or invest in power strips to make it easy to turn multiple small pieces of equipment off all at once. If you need certain equipment to be ready for use when you walk into the lab, use outlet timers; this will ensure equipment automatically turns off at night and automatically turns on at the beginning of the day.

5. Properly maintain cold storage

Preventative maintenance can help keep cold storage running efficiently. Here are a few tips:
Clean heat exchange coils and clean or replace filters to improve heat transfer and reduce energy use by up to 10%.
Defrost regularly so that space is used efficiently and so you don’t get ice buildup (which can make it so the door doesn’t shut properly, a common issue in laboratories).
Inspect door seals for cracks and tears that can let hot air in and make the compressor run more to maintain low temperatures.

6. Share equipment and unplug duplicate equipment

Equipment sharing has a similar energy-saving impact as turning off equipment when it’s not in use. Sharing equipment can be useful even for labs that are using their own equipment. Here’s where scheduling comes in handy. Figuring out how often your lab is using equipment can allow you to optimize the time that it’s in use. For example, if two HPLCs are used, on average, just 40% of the time, through simple scheduling, you can consolidate use on the first and unplug the second. You’ll save energy and have the second HPLC ready to bring back online if the first one breaks.

Shared resource or instrumentation facilities are particularly useful for universities, where bigger pieces of high-energy-consuming equipment are in a shared lab and everyone has access, reducing the need for multiple labs to have to buy their own.

7. Turn off the lights when the last person leaves the lab

Lighting makes up around 15% of the energy use in the lab. Simply turning off the lights when you leave the lab or support rooms can have a significant impact. Turning off the lights during the day when ambient light is sufficient can even further reduce energy consumption. A small LED task light can provide additional illumination if needed and uses much less energy than overhead lights.

8. Choose energy-efficient equipment and settings

When upgrading or purchasing new lab equipment, such as centrifuges, incubators, or water baths, opt for models with energy-efficient features like eco modes, automatic shut-off, and enhanced insulation. Many newer models are designed to minimize energy use without compromising performance.

For existing equipment, check if energy-saving settings can be enabled. Even small adjustments to default operating modes can lead to significant energy reductions over time.

Consider selecting products that have been independently assessed for sustainability performance, including energy use. To explore and compare lab equipment across clear environmental standards, refer to the ACT® Ecolabel database.

BONUS TIP: Share your sustainability efforts with others in your lab, building, department, or organization. Encourage others to change their behavior!

Encourage your team to adopt energy-saving habits by sharing your successes. Whether it’s data, tips, or photos, spreading awareness helps build a culture of sustainability in your lab, department, or organization.

Jasmine Stewart, Quality Control Sustainability – HSE Programme Manager and My Green Lab Certification Organisation Lead at AstraZeneca, highlighted the impact of this update: “The new version of the certification supports our strategy to engage and reinforce our proactive sustainability culture by making it easier for employees to complete. Additionally, being able to monitor completion in real-time through the streamlined survey was vital to getting high engagement across all of our teams – we achieved 100% survey completion across all of our supply and manufacturing QC labs!”

As My Green Lab Certification continues to evolve, the roles of Lab Lead and Organization Admin remain essential in ensuring its success. While taking on these roles requires initiative and organization, they also offer valuable career opportunities—all while making a measurable impact on lab sustainability.

The benefits of being a lab lead or organization admin

1. Sustainability Knowledge

Both Lab Leads and Organization Admins gain in-depth knowledge of sustainability in laboratory settings, learning how to implement practical solutions that benefit both their workplace and the environment. This includes best practices for reducing energy and water, minimizing waste, and optimizing resources, among others.

“There are some recommendations by My Green Lab that I wasn’t very familiar with, such as my campus’ use of renewables and the science behind composting,” said Micah. “Since our certification, I’ve become more familiar with composting in particular, as that’s one of the larger sustainability projects my department has implemented.”

2. Networking and collaboration

Becoming a Lab Lead or Organization Admin opens doors to new professional connections within and beyond the organization. Stepping into the role offers opportunities to create connections with internal and external stakeholders not typical in day-to-day operations, present sustainability data at conferences and industry events, and connect with like-minded professionals who share a passion for sustainability.

“The qualities that would allow a Lab Lead to succeed are the ability to organize and have patience, perseverance, and motivation. In my experience, you’ll invariably face setbacks on some level, but don’t be discouraged!” said Micah. “A Lab Lead should connect with people who share their goals. Even better if they’re in positions that can influence positive change!”

3. Leadership and professional development

A Lab Lead is responsible for guiding their team through changes that occur in the lab, ensuring certification completion, and building a team of colleagues committed to sustainability. Managing and tracking these changes helps develop key leadership skills such as project management and decision-making.

“We’ve found that the Lab Lead programme is a fantastic opportunity to develop leaders within our labs,” said Jasmine. “People who want to see change, can listen to their teammates’ ideas and provide direction. Those who love project work do well in the role of Lab Lead. They practice how to lead a team, manage different priorities and improve their business exposure and network.”

As an Organization Admin acts as the main point of contact for multiple labs going through the process, coordination and clear communication are essential to keeping teams aligned and certification efforts on track.

Many Lab Leads and Organization Admins also leverage their experience for career advancement as experience can be added to PD plans as well as resumes and LinkedIn. Here’s an example of how Lab Leads can showcase this experience on their resume:
​

• Acted as Lab Lead for My Green Lab Certification, applying project management skills to organize the certification process and implement sustainable changes. This role helped develop leadership abilities, team collaboration, and strategic thinking while deepening expertise in lab sustainability.

4. Organizational and problem solving skills

Acting as a Lab Lead provides a valuable opportunity to develop organizational skills and problem-solve. By coordinating the certification process, Lab Leads plan and implement sustainability initiatives and ensure that changes are seamlessly integrated into daily lab operations. Managing these responsibilities demonstrates strong time-management and problem-solving skills, and the ability to oversee complex projects.

“Being a lab lead helped me learn more about the obstacles facing the realization of sustainability projects,” said Micah. “It doesn’t mean these barriers can’t be overcome, but it does mean that you sometimes have to get creative in your solutions. One thing I’ve learned from my experience is that having and connecting with people who share your goals can make a world of difference. My Green Lab is a fantastic resource for that!”

5. Making an impact

Perhaps the most rewarding aspect of being a Lab Lead or Organization Admin is the ability to drive real environmental change. By leading the My Green Lab Certification process, individuals foster sustainable habits, implement best practices, and help cultivate a community of passionate individuals committed to making a lasting impact. Through My Green Lab Certification 2.0’s Impact Estimator tool, carbon and cost estimates of changing behaviors are tracked in real time.

Micah shared that he is proud of the University of Colorado Boulder’s composting program. “It was very much a multi-departmental effort to set up our program to compost soiled animal bedding on campus, which has diverted 180+ tons of material from landfills since we started. It is the biggest ‘green’ achievement my department has made so far, aside from becoming My Green Lab certified.”

Jasmine highlighted several sustainability initiatives that have made a meaningful impact at AstraZeneca, stating, “Our Switch-Off Optimisation Programme [SWOOP, an initiative aimed at reducing energy consumption in laboratories] and our Shut the Sash initiative [which focuses on promoting the closure of fume hood sashes when not in use], have been readily adopted as part of our teams’ sustainable behaviors.”

Leading the way in sustainable science

Becoming a Lab Lead or Organization Admin for the My Green Lab Certification process is a rewarding experience that develops leadership, sustainability knowledge, expands professional networks, and drives real environmental change.

Micah summed it up, saying: “The My Green Lab Certification process provides a lot of great suggestions and guidance on ways to make an impact. I love working with different groups and people with different knowledge, skillsets, and backgrounds. Being a Lab Lead has enabled me to connect with a variety of folks, and I love hearing everyone’s expertise and perspective.”

1. Launch of Impact Laboratories

​In 2024, My Green Lab introduced Impact Laboratories, a subsidiary dedicated to providing independent, third-party verification for My Green Lab Certification. Third-party verification enhances the integrity and rigor of our certification process, aligning with international best practices and supporting the global expansion of sustainable lab practices.

2. EPA Recommendation of My Green Lab Certification and ACT Ecolabel Program

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) updated its Recommendations of Specifications, Standards, and Ecolabels to include My Green Lab Certification and the ACT Ecolabel Program as the only approved standards for labs and lab products. This mark of distinction from EPA highlights our programs’ alignment with international sustainability goals and their role in promoting environmentally preferable best practices and purchasing within the scientific community.

​3. Release of the 2024 Carbon Impact of Biotech and Pharma Report

​During COP 29 in November, we released the Carbon Impact of Biotech and Pharma report. This report highlights progress while calling for deeper systemic changes as the industry approaches a pivotal moment in its sustainability journey. It offers a comprehensive overview of the biotech and pharma industry’s carbon footprint and its alignment with the Paris Climate Agreement.

4. Launch of My Green Lab Certification 2.0 and Program Milestones

In late 2024, we unveiled My Green Lab Certification 2.0, featuring advanced tools and resources to support labs on their sustainability journey, with AstraZeneca becoming the first company to implement the enhanced program. Updates to the program include third-party verification, streamlined engagement surveys, and an integrated impact estimator.

My Green Lab Certification also hit new milestones in 2024, with over 3,750 labs involved in the program, engaging more than 41,000 scientists across 50 countries around the world.

5. Biogen Achieves 100% My Green Lab Certification

​In 2024, we were proud to highlight Biogen who became the first large biotech company to achieve 100% My Green Lab Certification for all its labs. This milestone helps set a new standard for sustainability in the industry and demonstrates a comprehensive commitment to environmental responsibility in the lab.

6. New Board Members: Dr. Fiona Adshead and Malcolm Bell

Last year, we welcomed Dr. Fiona Adshead, Chair of the Sustainable Healthcare Coalition, and Malcolm Bell, Founder and CEO of Envetec Sustainable Technologies, to the My Green Lab Board of Directors. Their extensive experience in sustainability and healthcare innovation strengthens our leadership and strategic direction.

7. The Freezer Challenge’s Record-Breaking Year

The 2024 International Laboratory Freezer Challenge achieved record-breaking results, with participants saving 31.8 million kWh of energy by promoting sustainable cold storage best practices in their labs. This accomplishment equates to avoiding 22,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions, marking a significant advancement in laboratory energy efficiency. The 2025 Freezer Challenge is currently underway, be sure to sign your lab up here.

8. Growth of the Accredited Professional (AP) Course

​Our AP course has grown to include 240 individuals who are equipped with the knowledge and credentials to lead sustainability initiatives within their laboratories. This program, the first credential of its kind, offers six online modules to help expand sustainability knowledge including waste, Green Chemistry, engagement, procurement, energy, and water. Check it out here.

9. Launch of Accelerator Partner Program

We were proud to introduce the Accelerator Partner Program which recognizes and supports sustainability consulting services and organizations within the health sector that are trained to be experts in My Green Lab Certification. This initiative provides participating organizations with essential resources and recognition to advance sustainability efforts in laboratories.

10. My Green Lab and Impact Laboratories Team’s Continued Growth

Last but certainly not least, a huge thank you the incredible team at My Green Lab and Impact Laboratories for their unwavering commitment to advancing sustainable science. None of the milestones highlighted above would have been possible without their dedication and passion for building a better future.

We are also thrilled to share that our team’s growth in 2024 included two very special additions! Congratulations to Vice President of Strategic Growth, Stephanie Millar, and Marketing Intern, Taeler Nickerson, and their families who both welcomed little ones into the world last year.

Implementing Sustainable Practices

The My Green Lab Certification process begins with a Baseline Assessment Survey, where lab members complete a self-assessment on 14 topics that include recycling and waste reduction, resource management, green chemistry and green biologics and infrastructure energy, allowing My Green Lab to identify current best practices and to recommend additional sustainability actions. Labs then implement these recommendations over several months before retaking the survey to measure their progress. Based on the progress, labs receive an overall score and a certification level, along with new recommendations for ongoing improvement.

For Biogen, the valuable insights gained from this program have facilitated the development of sustainable solutions targeting energy and water usage, waste management, over-purchasing, and beyond.

Enhancing Education​

To support educational efforts around Biogen’s sustainability practices, the Core Committee created detailed site-specific documents. “To ensure education across laboratories on Biogen’s practices, we created an internal document for each site with common Sustainability FAQs that were found in the certificate assessment, and guided laboratories to review this document prior to certification,” said Gilani.

Lab Ambassador Irene Jenkins, Engineer II, underscored the crucial role of education throughout the process. “I think education was most important to our sustainability efforts,” she said. “Our baseline results were heavily affected by the number of ‘I don’t know’ responses, and just by becoming informed and agreeing on sustainability goals for the lab, we significantly improved our score.”

Energy Savings

“A few actions come to mind which improved our certification score compared to our baseline. One action was to audit our lab instruments to identify and label equipment that could be set to stand-by mode or unplugged to reduce the energy demand of idle equipment,” noted Jenkins. “Additionally, our freezers were placed on a scheduled defrost rotation to optimize efficiency.”

Waste Reduction

Understanding proper waste reduction strategies has helped Biogen find ways to reduce, recycle, and reuse. Laboratory changes include switching from single-use plastics to reusable glassware, recycling Styrofoam and soft plastics, and reusing biotainers for Stack Smashing Protector (SSP) buffers.

“Another action was to research vendor recycling programs and improve signage on appropriate recycling practices,” said Jenkins.

Improved Purchasing

Biogen’s team learned practical lessons throughout the certification process that will help drive future decisions, including more widespread understanding of how to read ACT Eco Labels and how to use Energy Star to inform purchasing decisions. “This will help us buy materials with a smaller environmental footprint and equipment that uses energy more efficiently,” said Jenkins. “Additionally, one focus group was tasked with researching then presenting resources available to guide informed purchasing decisions.”

As a result, one Biogen lab in Cambridge, Massachusetts, began using Biotix pipette tips, which contain 30% less plastic than other products, and adopted Polycarbin as a solution for the closed-loop recycling of single-use scientific plastics such as pipette tip boxes. This resulted in the recycling of approximately 411 kilograms of plastic in just seven months. The team is now helping to share this information with colleagues in other labs to encourage its widespread adoption.

Navigating Challenges

The journey toward certification was not without its challenges. One of Biogen’s key obstacles was the differing and complicated nature of its labs. Each lab has unique functions and processes, and some have strict operational standards that are difficult to modify for sustainability purposes. “In those labs, we focused on what we could change toward sustainability rather than what we couldn’t,” noted Gilani. Through education, communication, and the implementation of best practices learned through the My Green Lab Certification program, sustainability became a priority every lab could work towards—while maintaining strict standards for safety and quality, among other considerations.

For Jenkins, awareness was the key to changing lab practices. “Our largest challenge was a lack of awareness, which could lead to default behavior,” she explained. “For example, regular freezer defrosts and coil cleaning was not a consistent proactive maintenance activity for us; instead, it was a reactive strategy when a freezer would fail. By becoming aware of a more effective cadence for freezer defrosts and maintenance to ensure optimal freezer efficiency, we are now proactively preventing failure events.”

Through monthly check-in meetings and feedback loops between lab leaders, Jenkins and her team ensured that all members remained informed and active. “By sharing the responsibility to make change, everyone stayed engaged in the initiative,” said Jenkins.

Cultural Shift Towards Sustainability

Biogen’s certification journey resulted in significant advancements in sustainable lab operations, directly contributing to the organization’s corporate climate goals and demonstrating that change is achievable. “The parameter I am most proud of is 100% engagement from my lab in this initiative,” said Jenkins. “Every member of the lab ended this project more informed and having helped build our target sustainability practices.”

Marielle Thorne, Manager, R&D Lab Operations, highlights how the certification process unveiled new sustainability opportunities. “Early expectations were that we might look at recycling waste or maybe purchasing greener products. As we progressed, we discovered many areas we had not thought about as being part of our sustainability goals,” Thorne said. “Now 100% of the lab’s freezers are at -70,” she continued.

The My Green Lab Certification process not only led to substantial improvements but also catalyzed a cultural shift. Jenkins recalls the achievement lab members felt upon receiving their certification plaques: “You could feel a sense of pride in the effort and changes that took place to reduce our footprint on the planet,” she said.

List of Our 2024 Winners

Note: Winning Streak Awards are given to previous year’s winners who exceeded their energy savings from last year. 

Biotech/Pharmaceutical Sector Winners

• Top Organization Award: Amgen – 7,671 kWh/day saved
• Winning Streak Award: AstraZeneca – 7,962 kWh/day saved
• Large Lab Award​: Boston Research – Biology, Vertex Pharmaceuticals (United States) – 438 kWh/day saved
• Medium Lab Award: Sample Management Harrogate, Labcorp (United Kingdom) – 281 kWh/day saved
• Small Lab Award: Gothenburg Regional HBS Centre, AstraZeneca (Sweden) – 165 kWh/day saved
• Biorepository Award: Specimen Library, Bristol Myers Squibb (United States) – 307.15 kWh/day saved
• Biorepository Winning Streak Award: Labcorp Biorepository, Labcorp Central Laboratory Services (United States) – 3,869 kWh/day saved

Academic Sector Winners

• Top Organization Award: University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign (United States) – 1,339 kWh/day saved
• Lab Winning Streak Award: Dr. Elizabeth Jaffee GI Oncology Lab School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University (United States) – 154 kWh/day saved
• Large Lab Award​: Lab + in the School of Life Sciences, Coventry University (United Kingdom) – 59 kWh/day saved
• Medium Lab Award: Histocompatibility Laboratory, University of Michigan (United States) –80 kWh/day saved
• Small Lab Award: Yau Lab, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine (United States) – 114 kWh/day saved
• Biorepository Award: Cell Culture Facility (ICV-3C), The Paris Brain Institute (France) – 73 kWh/day saved

Hospital/Clinical/Other Winners

• Top Organization Award: Boston Children’s Hospital (United States) – 843 kWh/day saved
• Large Lab Award​: Laboratory Medicine Group, University Hospital Padova (Italy) – 131 kWh/day saved
• Medium Lab Award: Genetica Medica, Synlab Italia (Italy) – 51 kWh/day saved
• Small Lab Award: Scientific Research and Innovation Services Laboratory, Synnovis (United Kingdom) – 79 kWh/day saved
• Biorepository Award: IQVIA Biorepository, Q2 Solutions (United States) – 845 kWh/day saved

Government Sector Winners

• Top Organization Award:​ Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (Panama) – 159 kWh/day saved
• Winning Streak Award: National Institutes of Health (United States) – 3,074 kWh/day saved
• Large Lab Award​: Drug Safety Testing Center, Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation (Hong Kong) – 41 kWh/day saved
• Medium Lab Award: Central Laboratory, Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District (United States) – 44 kWh/day saved 
• Small Lab Award: Trink und Abwasserlabor, Hamburg Water (Germany) – 25 kWh/day saved
• Biorepository Award: Center for Cancer Research, Office of the Director of the National Institutes of Health (United States) – 442 kWh/day saved

Honorable Mentions

Organizations (all sectors):

• University of Michigan
• Leiden University Medical Center
• SYNLAB Group
• Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
• The University of Alabama at Birmingham
• Sanofi
• Labcorp
• Evotec

  Labs (all sectors, all lab sizes):

•  Johnson & Johnson, Oncology Spring House
• Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Hepa-Gastro
• Evotec, Hamburg, Sample Management Lab
• IFF (International Flavors & Fragrances) Madison Process R&D Lab
• Labcorp, Mechelen Biorepository
• Precision for Medicine, NHLBI
• University of British Columbia, UBC BioBank
• AstraZeneca South San Francisco (SSF) Biobank

At My Green Lab, we understand the unique challenges laboratories face in their journey towards sustainability. One of our goals is to bridge the gap between ambitious sustainability goals and practical, achievable steps that labs can take. We offer a variety of programs designed to make labs greener, such as the My Green Lab Certification program, ACT Eco-Label for sustainable product evaluation, and the International Laboratory Freezer Challenge. These initiatives not only help labs reduce their environmental footprint, but also enhance efficiency and promote a culture of sustainability within the scientific community.

However, sustainability in laboratories isn’t just about reducing waste or energy consumption; it’s about creating a holistic approach that integrates environmental responsibility into every aspect of laboratory operations. This includes everything from procurement of sustainable products, efficient energy use, waste minimization, and promoting a culture of sustainability among staff. By adopting comprehensive sustainability practices, labs can significantly reduce their environmental impact while often realizing cost savings and operational efficiencies.

Environmental partners can be key to achieving these goals. They bring specialized knowledge and practical solutions that can help labs implement and maintain effective sustainability practices. A competent and capable partner can provide critical support in navigating EHS regulations, optimizing resources, and ensuring efficiency in ongoing progress. In addition, partnerships foster innovation and creativity, enabling labs to tackle sustainability challenges with confidence—all while achieving meaningful results.

Why You May Need an Environmental Partner

Navigating the complex landscape of environmental regulations and sustainability best practices can be challenging. An environmental partner can provide the expert guidance to help ensure your lab stays compliant with the latest sustainability standards—as well as optimize resource use, meaning cost savings and reduced environmental impact. By offering specialized services such as waste management, environmental leadership, and consulting for such topics as energy efficiency solutions or best practice implementation, environmental partners can address the sustainability challenges unique to your laboratory and help you move forward in a knowledgeable and effective way.

Moreover, a trusted environmental partner will support sustainability initiative implementation, ensuring a smooth transition into new procedures and practical outcomes of these changes. Continuous improvement is another benefit of partnering for sustainability services; an environmental partner can help track progress and measure impact, spurring sustainability practice evolution and success over time.

Almost every facility requires some form of support in implementing sustainability initiatives—rarely can an organization operate completely independently in this venture. Be it with green waste disposal, environmental consulting, or sustainable committee leadership, there are almost always some major tasks that warrant sustainability services from a competent and experienced partner. Some signs that your organization may need help from an environmental partner are:

• Project teams are overloaded and busy
• The organization lacks a clear sustainability leader
• A sustainability leader is identified, but they can’t maintain internal sustainability support
• Sustainability metrics reporting is required
• There is an internal desire to analyze sustainability metrics
• Lofty corporate or operational sustainability goals require attention
• There is a desire to track and reduce energy use, waste consumption, and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions—as well as associated costs
• Internal processes are not aligning with the broader organizational environmental position
• Utility costs need to be lowered
• Green sourcing and supply chain is desired
• There is interest in obtaining a sustainability certification such as My Green Lab Certification, whether by individual teams or as an organization overall

If one or more of these apply to you, it might be time to consider working with an experienced and dedicated environmental partner who can guide and support your sustainability journey.

EHS Partnering for Lab Sustainability

At My Green Lab, we provide the framework and tools necessary to help labs achieve their sustainability goals. Our My Green Lab Certification program sets the standard for best practices in lab sustainability, covering areas such as energy conservation, waste reduction, and sustainable purchasing. Labs that achieve this certification demonstrate a commitment to sustainability and leadership in the scientific community.

While our programs provide the framework and recognition for sustainable practices, an environmental partner can offer the on-the-ground support necessary for implementing these practices. EHS vendors like My Green Lab’s Accelerator Partner Triumvirate Environmental can support your lab’s journey towards sustainability. With a deep-set commitment to sustainability and an expansive set of service offerings, including sustainable waste management, from upstream waste management to downstream recycling and other green disposal, Triumvirate Environmental has the know-how—and the onsite support—to help you succeed.

Whether you seek guidance on best practices, insights into broader organizational initiatives, leadership for your sustainability committee to drive innovation and success, or physical waste and onsite services, Triumvirate Environmental, with over 65 My Green Lab Ambassadors and more than 10 My Green Lab Accredited Professionals on their team, can serve as the catalyst to empower labs toward sustainable excellence.

Building a Sustainable Future Together

Regardless of what you need, a partnership with an experienced environmental services provider can help you fully achieve your sustainability goals. With a suite of trained consultants, national reach, and backed by a team of qualified and dedicated onsite support staff, Triumvirate Environmental is well-equipped to support your lab’s journey towards sustainability. As our Accelerator Partner, Triumvirate Environmental has everything you need to succeed in your My Green Lab Certification journey.
Our collaboration with Triumvirate Environmental underscores the importance of a comprehensive approach to sustainability. By leveraging the strengths of both My Green Lab and an environmental partner, labs can achieve their sustainability goals more effectively and efficiently. Together, we can make a significant impact on the environmental footprint of the scientific community.

To learn more, you can visit Triumvirate Environmental’s Lab Sustainability Services page.

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 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.