Manage Waste
- Divert uncontaminated plastics away from incineration with easy-access recycling bins.
- Preferentially order products packaged with minimal packaging.
- Recycle single-use products such as rinsed culture media containers.
- Encourage the University of Iowa recycling program to begin accepting polypropylene.
Decrease Power Usage
- Increase ULT freezer temperatures to -70°C, and close doors as quickly as possible.
- Dedicate finite footprint for ULT sample storage.
- Shut down large equipment like cell culture hoods when not in use, especially overnight and on weekends.
- Optimize autoclave load size for full loads, decrease cycle length when possible.
Promote Efficiency
- Encourage equipment and space sharing for frequent assays.
- Implement thorough sample labeling practices to reduce unnecessary long-term storage.
- Ask departing students and staff to clean out cold storage, and only keep required samples/reagents.
About Us
We are a growing group of University of Iowa scientists, clinicians, and students looking to promote sustainable biomedical research practices in our campus laboratories.
∞This intervention was not scaled to an annual basis as it only occurred for 5 months.
+Applied the difference in energy use between the old and new fridges. One measurement from older fridge was applied based on measurement from identical model.
#Energy monitor incompatible with BSCs – consumption estimated from CU Boulder estimates.
*Outlet incompatible with energy monitor, applied average measurement from two similar sized and aged incubators. kWh required to power each device.
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