University of California, Davis
IN-19: Green Laboratory Program

The Green Workplace Program at UC Davis provides achievable steps that labs and offices on campus can take toward a greener workplace and celebrates those accomplishments with recognition.

The program is a campus-wide, points-based system that evaluates sustainable actions implemented by each lab. The intention of the program is for everyone in the lab – from principal investigator, lab managers, and post docs, to graduate and undergraduate students – to support the effort by participating in conservation and reduction measures that will increase efficiency and sustainability in the workplace.

Research groups earn points for practices in seven categories: waste, energy, water, transportation, purchasing, workplace engagement, and other (i.e. fieldwork). Focusing on these seven categories help research groups work towards Bronze, Silver, Gold, or Platinum certification.

The Green Workplace Program at UC Davis addresses the specific initiatives mentioned above through an assessment of current “green” practices and creating a list for suggested improvements. The assessment covers energy conservation through plug load assessment, lighting conservation practices (e.g shut-off reminder stickers and turning off lights when not in use), cold storage management (e.g. freezer maintenance and participation in the International Freezer Challenge), and closing fume hoods; water conservation and efficiency through reduction of single pass water cooling and appropriate water quality use assessment; chemical use and disposal through green chemistry principles, avoiding chemicals where possible, and sharing/reusing surplus chemicals using the UC online sharing system; and materials management through promoting composting, recycling and reuse programs on campus as well as sustainable purchasing specific to labs and research. Additionally, the Green Workplace Program at UC Davis focuses on sustainable practices in field work by providing education on reducing a lab’s impact when working out in the field (leaving no trace). The program also covers sustainable travel practices through promoting carpool, bike, or public transportation; encouraging carbon offset purchases; and advocating for teleconferencing or videoconferencing instead of flying to a meeting.

The Green Workplace Program is intended to be a training tool for lab staff to learn sustainable practices. The program offers in-person trainings such as a Green Workplace kick-off presentation for members of the lab to become oriented with the program and a waste-specific presentation. The Green Workplace Program also administers resources such as a handout for sustainable workplace practices intended to be posted on the wall in participating labs and guides on sustainable purchasing and lab waste diversion/reduction.

Currently, three UC Davis labs are working on their Green Workplace certification.

Please note that a new website for The Green Lab program at UC Davis is currently being developed. Some of the information on the URL provided above may be out of date.