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Green Labs in a Small University
Leslie CoopCUHMMC
August 2015
Willamette University
•Private; Founded 1842•Approx. 2000 students•60 acres; 55 buildings•17 Residence halls
Student initiative Spring 2014 $25 per semester Opt-out available Funds student and employee engagement Advances Social, Economic, &
Environmental Sustainability
Green Initiative Fund
Awarded $11,900
Paid three students
Printing
Shipping
GIF Grant
1. Where are we now?
2. How can we improve?
3. Step-by-step improvement plan
Goals
Initial survey based on those used at Arizona State University and the University of Washington
Survey Monkey 20/38
Lab Survey
Less than 40%: Action needed
41-79%: Needs improvement
80-100%: Good!
Lab Survey
38%: Discuss sustainable practices with new lab workers and/or during formal or informal lab meetings
Communication & Education
25%: Engage in some sort of energy saving activity involving electronic devices or lighting.
◦Examples: Unplug devices not in use Use ambient daylight Power down equipment
Electronics
46%: Have a fridge, freezer, or both
100%: Cleaned & defrosted at least annually
Electronics
44%: Labs with fume hoods
75%: Keep sashes closed
75%: Do not use for storage
Fume Hoods
75%: Reuse envelopes, boxes, packing material
31%: Return packing material when possible 18%: Remove names from mailing lists 37%: Shop online 60%: Consolidate orders
Recycling & Waste Reduction
14%: Request vendors use recycled/reusable packaging
87%: Reuse or recycle paper 73%: Recycle plastic and glass containers 33%: Recycle other hard plastics 33%: Recycle plastic film
Recycling & Waste Reduction
67%: Reuse styrofoam/polystyrene 83%: Recycle or refill printer/copier
components 37%: Recycle E-media 27%: Recycle Gas cylinders
Recycling & Waste Reduction
60%: One person 40%: Review methods 14%: Check availability
Chemical Management and Ordering
74%: Use chemicals 83%: Exchanged Mercury Thermometers 44%: Sometimes use Green Chemistry
methods or microscale (research) 25%: Recycle or reuse chemicals 92%: Use less toxic, water-based cleaners
Chemicals
20%: Use plants 28%: compost when possible
Greenhouse
Plant Material
44%: Annually 18%: Monthly 12%: Weekly
78%: Use video- or Teleconferencing ocassionally
Travel for Work
25%: Strict Pack-In/Pack-Out 7%: Recyclable staking/flagging materials 6%: Recyclable sample containers
Field Work
66%: Use conservatively; report leaks 14%: Always use water misers 36%: Sometimes use water misers 6%: Only run dishwasher/autoclave when
full 62% Sometimes run dishwasher/autoclave
when partially full
Water Usage
“Protein extraction requires as few as 4 oocytes so done in less than 1 ml volume”
“...Using straps to attach sensors to people as opposed to double sided tape, pre-wrap and athletic tapes.”
What is Already Being Done?
“We have downscaled the amounts of chemicals we synthesize. We investigated an alternate technique that reliably uses less material so that we don't have to synthesize as much. This is important because we use ruthenium, a rare metal.”
What is Already Being Done?
“Reactions are performed on small scale to pilot an experiment”
“We attempt to use greener solvents when possible”
“We consider the hazards of our reagents when planning syntheses and use greener alternatives whenever possible”
What is Already Being Done?
“We take care to properly store materials so that spoilage is kept to a minimum”
“We segregate our waste streams”
What is Already Being Done?
“We have replaced silver nitrate & halides with sodium carbonate and calcium chloride.”
“We are replacing ammonium vanadate with ascorbic acid.”
“We are replacing eliminating the use of dichloromethane in the Intro Chem lab.”
What is Already Being Done?
Lack of Information about:Sustainable practices Energy saving activitiesOrdering optionsRecycling lab material
Waste ManagementWater saving practices
Where Are We Now
Lab Training Toolbox for each lab◦Checklist of Topics to Cover◦CHP◦SOPs◦RTK/GHS◦PPE & Hazard Assessment Tool◦Ordering Procedure◦Waste Management◦Green Lab Guide
How Can We Improve?
Signage◦ Lab doors◦ Refrigerators/Freezers◦ Satellite Waste Accumulation Areas
Labelingo Prepared solutionso Transferred materialso Waste containers
How Can We Improve?
RightCycle with Kimberly-Clark
http://www.kcprofessional.com/brands/kimtech/rightcycle
Glove Recycling Program