Green Labs Austria: Sustainable laboratory operations at KL honoured
The research groups of Gerald Obermair (Department of Physiology), Dagmar Stoiber-Sakaguchi (Department of Pharmacology) and Klaus Podar (Department of Molecular Oncology and Hematology) have been awarded the ‘Green Lab Austria’ label for their commitment to establishing and managing sustainable laboratory operations.
Climate protection, global warming and the 1.5°C benchmark – meanwhile these terms are integral parts of our daily communication. But what actions can each and every one of us can take to achieve these climate targets? In most cases, it’s the small things that ultimately make a big difference. The research groups of Prof. Obermair (Division of Physiology), Prof. Stoiber-Sakaguchi (Division of Pharmacology) and Prof. Podar (Division of Molecular Oncology and Hematology) have officially committed themselves to making an active contribution to environmental protection and are trying to make their laboratory operations more sustainable. Dr. Hessenberger and Dr. Zdársky, with the help of the laboratory manager Mr. Bindlechner, M.Sc., and the laboratory assistant Mr. Tauber, have already been able to introduce significant improvements. Many disposable plastic items have been replaced by glassware, the standby mode of most electric devices has been replaced by switch-offs, disposable containers are washed and reused, a more precise recycling system has been implemented, and many more improvements are under way. The members of the research groups of the divisions agree that it's still a long way to achieving a fully sustainable laboratory, but the laboratories are taking the first steps into the right direction. Monthly meetings are used to discuss future additional environmentally friendly measures. The effort has already been rewarded by the "Green Labs Austria" organization, which now lists all three research groups on its website.
https://greenlabsaustria.at/blog/department/klp/
" Little things make big things happen.” (Quote by John Wooden)
Green Labs Austria aims to connect laboratories in Austria that share the vision of a more sustainable research. The non-profit-organisation wants to change the status quo of resource management and offer guidelines for a transition to more environmentally aware research practices. The hope is to achieve this by collaborating with groups and institutions from various disciplines. Specifically, the organisation want to reform how labs.
