Connecting the project to sustainability goals
THE 17 GOALS | Sustainable Development
Our project strives to make industrial processes more sustainable by improving efficiency and reducing reliance on harmful chemicals. While our research aims to promote environmentally responsible innovation, our laboratory practices also reflect this commitment.
Our project in general aims to reduce our impact on the environment by creating a more efficient and sustainable way to harvest algae. Sodium chloride is a cheaper and more sustainable alternative to the chemicals that are used for flocculation today. These contribute to Sustainable Development Goals 8 and 13[1].
During this project we worked towards being as sustainable and environmentally friendly as possible, in accordance with SDG 12. To do so, we carefully planned our experiments before we started. We targeted the use of plastic, which is one of the larger sources of waste in the lab [2]. To do this, we used multiple-use tools when possible, such as using serological glass pipettes as these can be sterilized and reused, as opposed to the single use plastic ones.
Another method was to use metal inoculation loops when spreading bacteria. These can be sterilized by burning them, which makes them a great alternative to the single use plastic loops. We began sorting our latex gloves as the non-contaminated ones are able to be recycled. Furthermore, we attempted to lessen our use of gloves in general by considering if the work called for it. For example, mixing LB media does not contain any harsh chemicals and thus, gloves are not really necessary as long as one washes their hands.
In our microbiological work, we prioritized sustainability by using reusable tools such as sterilizable metal inoculation loops instead of disposable plastics. We also aimed to minimize unnecessary waste by using gloves when work called for it and sorting them after use based on whether they were contaminated, allowing safe materials to be disposed of responsibly and reducing overall laboratory waste.
Another way to reduce waste is by lessening the consumption of materials and chemicals. This is not only good for the economy, but also good for the environment. We did this by not creating large stocks of our material, rather, we made smaller stocks and rather remade them if needed. As mentioned earlier, we also reduced waste by reducing our use of single-use plastic and replacing it with reusable material.
We compiled all of our work into a sustainability guide which is meant to guide future iGEM teams in conducting a more sustainable lab practice! You can find and download the guide below: