Learn how to embed environmental sustainability in laboratories

The aim of this course –is to increase awareness of laboratory sustainability and provide tips, advice and solutions for effective practice. This course has been tailored to meet the needs of technical staff in HE. It has been designed to accommodate various learning styles and to allow participants to learn from theory and practice, group discussions and individual reflection.

The objectives are to explore:

Sustainability in Science: Why is it relevant to climate change?
Laboratory Emissions Review: Assessing the balance between buildings, equipment, consumables, travel, and comparing to non-scientific sectors.
Hotspot areas such as:
Plastics and consumables
Equipment (including freezers)
Waste & recycling
Carbon impacts of research
Research quality
Water usage
Engagement: How to engage your peers and institution on sustainable labs
LEAF and Resources: What tools exist to help you on your journey?

By the end of this course, participants are expected to:

Identify how science impacts climate change
Describe the actions needed to reduce carbon emissions and costs of laboratories
Have improved sustainable purchasing understanding, so that participants may make more knowledgeable purchases of equipment and consumables (like plastics!)
Access sustainability programmes to support your efforts, like LEAF, and learn how to assess if a lab is sustainable
Improve their ability to communicate their successes in Sustainable Labs through case studies and credentials