| Overall Rating | Gold |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 79.54 |
| Liaison | Kelli O'Day |
| Submission Date | June 20, 2023 |
University of California, Davis
IN-19: Green Laboratory Program
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
0.50 / 0.50 |
Kelli
O'Day Assessment Program Manager Office of Sustainability |
Does the institution have or participate in a green laboratory program?:
Does the institution’s green laboratory program address the following?:
| Yes or No | |
| Energy conservation and efficiency, e.g., fume hood ("shut the sash") and freezer maintenance programs | Yes |
| Water conservation and efficiency | Yes |
| Chemical use and disposal | Yes |
| Materials management, e.g., green purchasing guidelines and recycling and reuse programs | Yes |
| Training for lab users on sustainable practices | Yes |
A brief description of the institution's green laboratory program:
The Green Workplace Program at UC Davis provides achievable steps that labs and offices on campus can take to improve the sustainability of their work environment and be recognized for those efforts. It is a campus-wide, points-based system that evaluates sustainable actions implemented by each workplace. The intention of the program is for everyone in the work environment to support the effort by participating in conservation and reduction measures that will increase efficiency and sustainability in the workplace.
Workplaces 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 workplaces 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 based on their current practices. 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 research facilities and offices. 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 staff to learn sustainable practices. The program offers in-person trainings such as a Green Workplace kick-off presentation for workplace participants, general sustainable practices trainings, and sustainable chemistry guides. The Green Workplace Program also administers resources such guides on sustainable purchasing and lab waste diversion/reduction and zero-waste campus initiatives.
Website URL where information about the green laboratory program is available:
Additional documentation to support the submission:
Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
Samuel Orellana, student assistant with UC Davis Sustainability, assisted with preparation of this report item
Samuel Orellana, student assistant with UC Davis Sustainability, assisted with preparation of this report item
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