Our Mission

The mission of the UCR’s Green Labs group is to promote the reduction of the energy and resource waste created by laboratories at UCR without disturbing the objectives of research. Green Labs works with lab managers, principal investigators, and lab staff workers to guide their laboratories into becoming energy efficient and sustainable.

We aim to:

• Educate lab personnel on lab waste and sustainable agriculture 
• Understand barriers to green lab practice
• Offer easy and effortless options to reduce waste with little buy-in from researchers 
• Empower researchers to be strong advocates for sustainability 
• Create lab space that promotes sustainable practices. 

Our Initiatives:

• Building wide interactive workshops for educating and discussing green labs and barriers to sustainable science
• Sustainable Science online modules in collaboration with EH&S
• Research Building recycling programs including all non-hazardous plastics, gloves, and styrofoam
• Green Labs certification program
• Reducing Material Waste (Sharing program, don’t buy in bulk)
• North American Freezer Challenge
• Freezer rebate programs 
• Incentives and discounts for participants at every level! 

Why Make Your Labs a Green Lab?

• Reduces waste, energy, and water consumption
• Improves environmental and personal health 
• Prolongs equipment life and reduces equipment failures
• Saves money

UCR Green Labs References and Resources

Contacts

UCR Office of Sustainability

Phone Number: (951) 827-6558

Email: sustainability@ucr.edu

UCR Environmental Health and Safety

Phone Number:  https://ehs.ucr.edu/about/whodoicall.html

Email: ehs@ucr.edu

Freezers

Freezer Challenge

https://www.freezerchallenge.org/

Evidence that Storing Microorganisms at -70 Degrees is Safe

https://jcm.asm.org/content/jcm/42/3/1257.full.pdf

Evidence of Storing Protein at -70 Degrees is Safe

https://lipidworld.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1476-511X-11-53

Spreadsheet of Samples Being Stored at -70 Degrees

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/13UvBeoXAhwSHshSYoUDHwcxWiW7qYLnUb-eLwxJbCYs/edit#gid=0

Evidence of Storing DNA at -20 Degrees

https://www.colorado.edu/ecenter/sites/default/files/attached-files/seracare_stability_of_genomic_dna_at_various_storage_conditions_isber2009.pdf

Sustainability in Labs

University Alliance Group - Explores ways to connect sustainability to research finances

http://www.i2sl.org/working/university_alliance.html

Best Practice Guide

http://www.i2sl.org/resources/toolkit.html

US Department to Energy Better Buildings Laboratory Technology Solutions Team

https://betterbuildingssolutioncenter.energy.gov/alliance/activities/technology-solutions-teams/laboratories

MyGreenLab

https://www.mygreenlab.org/

Sustainable UMD

https://sustainability.umd.edu/get-involved/students/green-labs

Infographics for Your Labs

Paper Recycling

https://drive.google.com/a/ucr.edu/file/d/0B3eLC0dZSZpeV1R3cHFzWE1yYjZNRy1RWlJvTzRjMkI3SEtz/view?usp=sharing

Metal and Plastic Recycling

https://drive.google.com/a/ucr.edu/file/d/0B3eLC0dZSZpeUEJub05MSjJNeDBiZDZnRkk5aFdYUnpZMVRF/view?usp=sharing

Mix Recycling

https://drive.google.com/a/ucr.edu/file/d/0B3eLC0dZSZpeU29taFYzR2J0SFB4aTVrajg1Y0owWjNYZTdN/view?usp=sharing

Ways to be More Sustainable

https://drive.google.com/a/ucr.edu/file/d/0B3eLC0dZSZpeVHdfZGlPQVlNTk40Mkk3RTFMRWNLWWE1VnIw/view?usp=sharing

Cold Storage Maintenance Checklist

https://drive.google.com/a/ucr.edu/file/d/0B3eLC0dZSZpebzhNVEwzYmJJenBRX3g5M21jSm1KMHMxVWQw/view?usp=sharing

Recycle Your Lids

https://drive.google.com/a/ucr.edu/file/d/0B3eLC0dZSZpeU0k3SUVjaGgyWjI3OEtQQnh3dmlxeWtyQVhn/view?usp=sharing

Contacts

UCR Office of Sustainability

Phone Number: (951) 827-6558

Email: sustainability@ucr.edu

UCR Environmental Health and Safety

Phone Number:  https://ehs.ucr.edu/about/whodoicall.html

Email: ehs@ucr.edu