Connections between laboratory research and climate change: what scientists and policy makers can do to reduce environmental impacts

What is Kindness in Science and why does it matter?

“…There are a multitude of laboratories around the world, including clinical, research and industry, each using four to five times more energy than office buildings, 14 with some specialty laboratories consuming up to 100 times more energy than a commercial building 15 . According to the 2019 climate footprint, these data are equivalent to 4.4% of the global net carbon emissions 16 which, in perspective, is 55% higher than the automotive industry 17 . These numbers come from two main sources; high‐energy use equipment, such as fume hoods, 14 centrifuges 15 and ultra‐cold freezers (−80°C), 18 and the enormous number of single‐use plastics, with 1.8% of the total global plastic production attributed to bioscientific research 19 .…”

“…The Laboratory Efficiency Assessment Framework (@LEAFinLabs) Green Impact My Green Lab (@My_Green_Lab) Green Your Lab (@GreenYourLab) Scientist Rebellion Climate Activist Group Lab Conscious Caring Scientist Podcast (@caringscientist) Kindness to the Community Hank Green (@hankgreen) Doctor Karl Kruszelnicki (@DoctorKarl) ASI Fireside Chats-Public Lectures 26 Shane Huntington (@DrShaneRRR) Morgan Freney (@virus.vs.labcoat) Stacey Cheung (@science.stace) Shalin Naik (@shalinhnaik) Paul Young (@ProfPaulYoung) Catriona Vi Nguyen-Robertson (@CatrionaNR) Corey Tutt (@DeadlyScience) world, including clinical, research and industry, each using four to five times more energy than office buildings, 14 with some specialty laboratories consuming up to 100 times more energy than a commercial building. 15 According to the 2019 climate footprint, these data are equivalent to 4.4% of the global net carbon emissions 16 which, in perspective, is 55% higher than the automotive industry. 17 These numbers come from two main sources; high-energy use equipment, such as fume hoods, 14 centrifuges 15 and ultra-cold freezers (À80°C), 18 and the enormous number of single-use plastics, with 1.8% of the total global plastic production attributed to bioscientific research.…”

Establishing a national strategy for shared research resources in biomedical sciences

“…These attributes of SRRs make them ideally positioned to lead efforts to improve rigor and reproducibility by developing national standards and certifications across a wide spectrum of scientific disciplines. Furthermore, widespread adoption of the SRR model and best practices provides the foundation for synergizing a more sustainable approach to the conduct of science within and across institutions, enabling not only cost efficiency, but also improved utilization of space, infrastructure, materials, and energy 15,16 …”

Establishing a National Strategy for Shared Research Resources

“…These attributes of SRRs make them ideally positioned to lead efforts to improve rigor and reproducibility by developing national standards and certifications across a wide spectrum of scientific disciplines. Furthermore, widespread adoption of the SRR model and best practices provides the foundation for synergizing a more sustainable approach to the conduct of science within and across institutions, enabling not only cost efficiency, but also improved utilization of space, infrastructure, materials, and energy (11,12).…”