​                                                                                                       SUBSCRIBE                   PREVIOUS ISSUES​

​​​​Featured Article                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       

​​The Here and Now of Sustainability​

​​​Sustainability is often associated with long-term issues, future generations and impacts “down-the-line.” But acting sustainably has very immediate and tangible results. In this article, we will review the more practical and palpable benefits of environmental stewardship that you can experience in a short timeframe.

Cost Savings

Everything has a price. This is true for all types of purchases, from procuring resources like electricity, water and fuel, to purchasing equipment and materials. By acting sustainably, we can reduce the amount of resources we consume and lessen the materials that we purchase. These actions can create significant reductions in spending in a very short amount of time. 

As an example, look at how labs have reduced chemical purchases and eliminated their associated costs by participating in the NIH Surplus Chemical Redistribution Program. This program takes surplus chemicals (that are unopened and unexpired) from NIH labs and makes them available to other NIH labs for free. By acquiring necessary chemicals for free, the lab avoids the cost of purchasing new chemicals. There is also a disposal cost associated with all chemical purchases since this waste must be specially treated. By avoiding chemical purchases, we also save the money that would’ve been required to dispose of these chemicals. The NIH Surplus Chemical Redistribution Program provides significant savings to the NIH each year through avoided costs! 

Improved Efficiency

Sustainability can also unlock improved and efficient operations beyond reductions in spending. Continuing with our lab example from above, careful planning to avoid excess chemical purchases results in smaller inventories that require less effort and time to manage. It can be quicker to find the chemical you are looking for in a streamlined inventory. Less inventory can also be consolidated into a smaller space, meaning more valuable lab space for research. A smaller inventory also reduces chances of spills and other lab accidents. All these benefits add more time for valuable research!

Improved operational efficiency from acting sustainably extends to many examples outside of a well-maintained chemical inventory. For example, properly maintaining your cold storage equipment can save energy, but it also improves the reliability of your freezers. This reduces the chances of a failure, decreasing the space needed for backup freezers and extending the lifetime of your cold storage equipment. Look for more ways to improve your operational efficiency in your lab!

Reduced Health Impacts

Acting sustainably can also have immediate benefits for improving human health. We are greatly impacted by the environment in which we live, including the local quality of air, water and soil. Our actions can immediately benefit the local environment and reduce the health impacts associated with exposure to pollution.

Proper management of chemical waste is crucial at the NIH to ensure that hazardous substances aren’t improperly disposed to landfills. These substances can quickly leach into the soil and nearby water sources, negatively impacting the people that live in the area. Acting sustainably can also reduce the amounts of hazardous chemicals that are used, limiting the chances of a pollution event. Similarly, emission sources for air pollution can greatly reduce air quality in their local vicinity. Most power grids in the United States use fossil fuels for energy, which produce air pollutants that can negatively impact respiratory health. By reducing electricity use or switching to renewable sources, air pollution from these sources is decreased.

In essence, sustainability is getting more done with less. It is conserving energy, water and resources. It is reducing waste and emissions. By operating sustainably, we can save on costs, improve overall efficiency and reduce health impacts. Being gentle to our planet and gracious to future generations is yet another bonus to being sustainable!

​Spotlight                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    

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​Ann Wiegand's GLP Story ​ ​Ann Wiegand is a research biologist in the HIV Dynamics and Replication Program (HIV DRP) in the Center for Cancer Research of the National Cancer Institute. Through their participation in the Green Labs Program, they’ve been empowered to improve their sustainability and their labs have seen great leaps in efficiency. LEA​RN MORE​​​​

​​Take Action                                                                                                                                                                              ​                                                                                                

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Planning for Green Labs 2025​ ​ ​​The 2024 NIH Green Labs Program (GLP) has been completed, but it is never too early to get started for the 2025 GLP! In this article, we will review the steps you and your lab can take to improve efficiency and get a leg up on the competition this year.​ ​​LEARN MORE​​​​​

NEMS Training                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         
Did you know? ​​​​​The 2025 NIH Freezer Challenge​ is live and all NIH labs are encouraged to participate! You only need to complete 1 initiative to participate and the data entry process is very quick. To learn more about sustainability at the NIH​​​​​​​​​​​​​​, please visit the NEMS T​raining webpage to view a short (20 minute) NIH environmental awareness training video.