How can you approach laboratory sustainability with innovative solutions?

1 Assess your current situation

The first step to approach laboratory sustainability with innovative solutions is to assess your current situation and identify your strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. You can use various tools and methods to evaluate your laboratory's environmental impact, such as carbon footprint calculators, life cycle assessments, or waste audits. You can also benchmark your laboratory against best practices and standards, such as the ISO 14001 environmental management system, the LEED green building certification, or the Green Lab Certification Program. By assessing your current situation, you can set realistic and measurable goals, prioritize actions, and monitor progress.

2 Engage your team and stakeholders

The second step to approach laboratory sustainability with innovative solutions is to engage your team and stakeholders in the process. You can involve your laboratory staff, researchers, students, suppliers, funders, and customers in various ways, such as creating a sustainability committee, conducting surveys and interviews, organizing workshops and brainstorming sessions, or providing training and incentives. By engaging your team and stakeholders, you can increase awareness, motivation, and participation, as well as generate ideas and feedback.

3 Implement innovative solutions

The third step to approach laboratory sustainability with innovative solutions is to implement the solutions that you have identified and prioritized. You can use various strategies and techniques to implement innovative solutions, such as design thinking, lean management, agile development, or prototyping. You can also leverage existing or emerging technologies, such as artificial intelligence, internet of things, biotechnology, or nanotechnology, to create novel and effective solutions. By implementing innovative solutions, you can improve your laboratory's performance, quality, and safety, as well as reduce your environmental impact.

4 Evaluate and communicate results

The fourth step to approach laboratory sustainability with innovative solutions is to evaluate and communicate the results of your actions. You can use various indicators and metrics to measure and report the outcomes and impacts of your solutions, such as energy savings, waste reduction, carbon emissions, cost savings, or customer satisfaction. You can also use various channels and platforms to communicate your results, such as reports, newsletters, websites, social media, or events. By evaluating and communicating results, you can demonstrate your achievements, celebrate your successes, and share your learnings.

6 Foster a culture of innovation and sustainability

The sixth and final step to approach laboratory sustainability with innovative solutions is to foster a culture of innovation and sustainability in your laboratory. You can use various practices and policies to promote and support innovation and sustainability, such as rewarding and recognizing achievements, providing resources and time, encouraging collaboration and diversity, or fostering curiosity and experimentation. You can also use various values and principles to guide and inspire innovation and sustainability, such as creativity, excellence, responsibility, or ethics. By fostering a culture of innovation and sustainability, you can create a positive and productive environment, as well as a competitive and distinctive edge for your laboratory.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?