Laboratory Energy Savings by Automatic Lighting

By installing automatic lighting to your laboratory building, you will see the difference in energy bills as illustrated below.  This image appears on the Lighting Controls Association web site, courtesy of the Lighting Design Lab.  Their web site is a great resource to learn about automatic switching and dimming controls.  Of note, utility companies offer rebates on automatic lighting controls.  You can learn more at  http://lightingcontrolsassociation.org.

lab energy savings automatic lighting

How to construct a lab scale solvent recycler

Please see this Organic Process Research and Development paper to learn how to construct and operate a distillation unit that is "affordable, accessible and reliable" - for greener solvent usage in common students and research labs.

Thomas Zweckmair et al. Recycling of Analytical Grade Solvents on a Lab Scale with a Purpose-Built Temperature-Controlled Distillation Unit (2017) OPR&D

 

 

Image credit: Org. Process Res. Dev., 2017, 21 (4), pp 578–584

Image credit: Org. Process Res. Dev., 2017, 21 (4), pp 578–584

Light Engine for Mercury free and Energy Saving Microscopy

Replace your mercury lamp fluorescent microscope light source with a Lumencor light engine, to exceed the spectral properties of the mercury arc lamp, save energy and eliminate hazardous mercury.

See: Lumencor light engines http://lumencor.com/company/company-mercury-free/

credit: Lumencor 

credit: Lumencor 

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USP Greenlights Endotoxin Testing Using Recombinants that could save 100,000 Horseshoe Crabs every Year and improve scientific quality
USP Greenlights Endotoxin Testing Using Recombinants that could save 100,000 Horseshoe Crabs every Year and improve scientific quality

This month, the U.S. Pharmacopeia (USP) officially permits recombinant reagents for bacterial endotoxin testing. If every lab using Limulus polyphemus-based reagents switched, it would prevent the deaths of around a hundred thousand horseshoe crabs each year. More likely, labs able to switch will reap the benefits of improved testing accuracy, and this will relieve pressure from our tenuous dependency on wildlife.

Resources for Life Science Research Labs Based on Circular Economy
Resources for Life Science Research Labs Based on Circular Economy

Even though it’s not possible to predict where the science will lead, we can promise that life science discoveries will serve humankind well into the future. Circularization strategies economize science and responsibly limit our impact on nature. This green lab tip highlights a few resources for free lab materials and equipment. Let’s keep life science research and education going strong!

Planning a Green Fair for Biologists
Planning a Green Fair for Biologists

Most biologists welcome opportunities to learn about environmentalism. A green fair is a great way to increase awareness and commitment to environmental justice and sustainability in life science work. Let’s review some tips for planning a successful green fair for biologists.

The Ways Fly labs Go Green
The Ways Fly labs Go Green

Drosophila researchers around the world have taken steps to green their lab operations while maintaining good laboratory practices. These efforts include preventing material waste, energy conservation, and leveraging the attributes of this model organism to reduce the need for testing in mammalians. We hope you are inspired by the initiatives of these green labs!

De-Fossilizing Lab Plastics
De-Fossilizing Lab Plastics

In life science, it’s often plastic-polluted ecosystems that firm our resolve to limit the environmental impacts of our lab work. Let’s take a moment to recognize a new category of lab plastics as a welcome step forward in sustainability.

Green Labs are Removing UV Lamps from Tissue Culture Biosafety Cabinets
Green Labs are Removing UV Lamps from Tissue Culture Biosafety Cabinets

UV decontamination lighting has been incorporated into biosafety cabinets for decades, and persistently over-relied on for decades in cell culture work. Green labs are removing UV lamps from biosafety hoods to eliminate risks and save energy. It’s a simple action that overcomes energy waste in the right setting.

Lab signage: How to create clear calls for eco-friendly actions
Lab signage: How to create clear calls for eco-friendly actions

Signage is an important tool for turning lab initiatives into established lab culture. A sign shows the path to sustainability. The types of signs typically used in lab facilities can come in the form of posters, stickers/decals, and digital, or even three-dimensional displays. No matter which format, it’s good to know best practices.

How Labs Can Avoid Polluting Waterways (and What to Do Instead)
How Labs Can Avoid Polluting Waterways (and What to Do Instead)

In June 2020, the small town of Merrillville, IN, received a visit from the Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM). Merrillville is home to Microbac, a laboratory that offers analytical testing services for food, environmental, antimicrobial products, and pharmaceuticals. With more than 20 facilities across the United States, they are required to follow local water regulations, in addition to safety data sheets. However, what the IDEM found was not in line with either.

Ways that Labs Can Reduce Plastic Packaging Waste
Ways that Labs Can Reduce Plastic Packaging Waste

Plastic packaging often gets a bad rap (wrap?). And rightly so — approximately 5.5 million tons of plastic is produced annually in life sciences laboratories. While it provides essential protection and labeling for products, its impact on the environment calls for action. Fortunately, there are ways laboratories can reduce their waste from plastic packaging.

The Pros and Cons of Wet, Semi-dry and Dry Transfer for Western Blots
The Pros and Cons of Wet, Semi-dry and Dry Transfer for Western Blots

This widely used immunoassay to probe samples for specific proteins and posttranslational modifications has potential time and material savings associated with variations of the transfer step. Whether it’s a simple buffer switch, or a more involved equipment swap - it’s always worthwhile to explore lab workflow efficiencies. Just take care not to risk a successful blot!