If you are not using a piece of equipment, please consider unplugging it until you need it.

Retirement

Freezer Retirement is the ultimate challenge as it requires a researcher to take their freezer completely off the power grid. Ultra lows use the greatest amount of energy and therefore render the most points. We also welcome retirement of -40°-30°, -20°, and multiple glass door refrigerators. “Retirement” includes a 1 year pledge not to replace your freezer. We can also help recycle old items that you no longer need.

Retirement of (low functioning) equipment opens up space for storage or additional research activities. Freezers, refrigerators, and incubators that are still plugged in and are not needed for research increase our carbon footprint can contribute to air pollution through our current method of energy production.

Pro Tip: Assess the material in your ultra low. Often times, samples do not require -80°C and can be moved to higher temperature. For example, if you have an ultra low full of DNA, consider switching to dry storage or a -20° freezer instead.

Sharing

Freezer Sharing accrues points when additional PI’s store samples in the same freezer and thus avoids purchasing a freezer. Points will be received for every additional researcher that shares the freezer. Also, if sharing a freezer allows for the retirement of another freezer, points for both actions will be combined.

Upgrade

Equipment Upgrade is the replacement of an old unit with a certified energy efficient one. The freezer must be validated with kW of Amp measurements, data from Labs21 Wiki, Energy Star, or the manufacturer. To submit your progress in retirement, sharing, or upgrades please fill out the following questionnaire

*Elemental and Eforce both recycle Lab Equipment, see links:

http://eleminc.com/

http://eforcecompliance.com/