Greener life in the lab

“Even though we are a small lab with modest funding sources, we are committed to minimizing our environmental impact as much as each experiment can allow. We have switched to Thermo Fisher Art Universal Barrier and Non-filtered tip reload systems, which has allowed our lab to reduce our overall consumables waste. We have recently replaced our -80°C freezer with an energy-efficient Thermo Fisher ultra low-temperature freezer. Due to the efficiency and resiliency of this freezer, we are able to store our reagents at -70°C to further conserve energy.

Along with choosing the convenient rack systems, we have been able to organize our storage in an incredibly efficient manner, further minimizing the time required to open the freezer door when looking for specific samples—even the ones that are put in the very back, hard to reach corners—you know the ones!

In general, we do our best to be cognizant of our plastic consumption and waste and to be proactive in re-using, re-purposing, and/or recycling what we can. For example, the GIBCO cell culture media bottles are always repurposed to house pipette tip waste, and they also make excellent flowerpots—so many additional uses prior to a recycling option.

I have recently acquired a sample of the new GIBCO BenchStable DMEM cell culture medium and further look forward to being able to minimize our refrigeration storage to allow for optimal temperature regulation.

Thermo Fisher has made these transitions easy, with regular promotions, sampling options, and their Aspire loyalty program* that allow us to get the most for our funding dollars while still obtaining the highest quality lab supplies an reagents we depend upon to produce good, sustainable science.