This week, we celebrate a sustainability success story right on our doorstep in Galway.
Galway Green Labs was formed in 2018 to reduce the environmental impact of research laboratories. It’s a program set up by the Cúram research centre at NUI Galway and it’s the first in Europe to be Green Lab certified.
Thanks to the pipeline of talent and the bridge between university research and industry, Galway is a world leader in medical devices and biomedical research. It’s a huge part of modern Galway.
But high-tech labs can use a lot of energy and a lot of plastics are single-use. Galway Green Labs is pioneering a way for laboratories across Europe and the rest of the world to become more sustainable.
Science helps us better understand the world and improve our lives but we can’t ignore the negative costs on the environment so it’s encouraging to see a movement happening in Galway. There are around 200 labs in NUI Galway alone and Cúram is just the first to go green.
The Galway Green Labs approach is simple and it’s something that any home or organisation can adopt… turning off appliances that aren’t being used, using glass instead of plastic, and changing a few small habits.
Sustainability doesn’t have to be complicated.
First published on Ecofuel.ie
