Lab sustainability programs LEAF and My Green Lab® : impact, user experience & suitability
Schell, Bianca R. and Bruns, Nico (2024) Lab sustainability programs LEAF and My Green Lab® : impact, user experience & suitability. RSC Sustainability, 2 (11). pp. 3383-3396. ISSN 2753-8125 (https://doi.org/10.1039/d4su00387j)
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Abstract
Facing the climate crisis and planetary boundaries, research institutions must address the challenge of becoming climate-neutral and using resources more sustainably. Natural science laboratories are the most resource-intensive and CO2-emitting units within these institutions. Consequently, research groups aim to understand how to lower emissions and become sustainable by participating in green lab programs for wet labs, such as My Green Lab® or LEAF. Here, we compare these programs, analyse their impact on emission savings, and give insights from conducting both programs simultaneously in our biological and chemical labs. As a centrepiece, we provide a quantitative comparison of the programs based on a Germany-wide survey of participants from both programs. We showcase the significant impact of the programs on employees' motivation to work sustainably, highlight the advantages and shortcomings of the programs, and elucidate the pitfalls of greenwashing risks and the risks of leaving the most effective measures unimplemented. Finally, we provide decision-making guidance to help scientists choose the most suitable lab sustainability program based on their individual research backgrounds, needs, and personal preferences.
ORCID iDs
Schell, Bianca R. and Bruns, Nico ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6199-9995;-
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Item type: Article ID code: 90985 Dates: DateEvent1 November 2024Published9 September 2024Published Online8 September 2024AcceptedSubjects: Science > Chemistry
Geography. Anthropology. Recreation > Environmental SciencesDepartment: Faculty of Science > Pure and Applied Chemistry Depositing user: Pure Administrator Date deposited: 29 Oct 2024 16:49 Last modified: 29 Nov 2024 11:11 Related URLs: URI: https://strathprints.strath.ac.uk/id/eprint/90985