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How green is your science? The race to make laboratories sustainable

Nature Reviews Molecular Cell Biology volume 23, page 517 (2022)Cite this article

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While scientific research is critical to understanding the surrounding world, its resource intensity is also damaging to it. As science grows, what actions can we take to move to a more sustainable model of science and research — one that is more reproducible, eco-friendly and cost-effective?

Science is growing, and fast. A 2014 study estimated that scientific output doubles every 9 years. The overall carbon emissions of science are unclear, but it is undoubtedly extremely resource intensive. At University College London (UCL), we estimate that our laboratory facilities are responsible for about half of the university’s carbon emissions. Each ultra-low temperature freezer can consume as much energy as a house, and each fume cupboard as much as 2–3 houses per annum, not to speak of the impacts of single-use plastics, which pile up in the labs’ bins every single day. While science allows us to better understand and address the climate crisis, we must also acknowledge that scientific endeavour has in some ways enabled this crisis and continues to contribute to it. Science must consider how it grows long-term to adapt to our changing world. Fortunately, more institutions and funders, such as UKRI (the UK’s largest funder), are commendably setting net-zero targets.

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Acknowledgements

The author would like to thank J. Marshall-Cook, Head of Sustainability Programmes at University College London.

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  1. Sustainable UCL, University College London, London, UK

    Martin Farley

  2. Research Management and Innovation Directorate, King’s College London, London, UK

    Martin Farley

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  1. Martin Farley
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Correspondence to Martin Farley.

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The author declares no competing interests.

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Farley, M. How green is your science? The race to make laboratories sustainable. Nat Rev Mol Cell Biol 23, 517 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41580-022-00505-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41580-022-00505-7

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