Lab Members
An Eco-Leader is a lab member who cares about sustainability in laboratories and would like to volunteer to help minimize the use of energy, water, material goods, and hazardous chemicals in their lab and promote efficient, effective use of research equipment and laboratory space. One goal of the CU Green Labs Program is to have an Eco-Leader established in every laboratory on campus.
What Does an Eco-Leader Do?
An Eco-Leader acts as the eyes, ears and voice of conservation in their lab.
- Acts as the lab point of contact for CU Green Labs.
- Helps disseminate information from CU Green Labs to other members of their lab.
- Helps identify opportunities for efficient use of energy, water and material goods and reduce hazardous waste generation.
- Encourages sharing and efficient use of laboratory equipment, fume hoods and laboratory space where possible.
- Discusses changes with the Principal Investigator (PI) before change implementation.
- Solicits ideas and feedback from other lab members.
- Promotes green purchasing of equipment and supplies.
- Finds a new lab member to take on the role of Eco-Leader before leaving the lab.
What is the Time Commitment for Being an Eco-Leader?
You can commit as much time as you want to the Eco-Leader role. You may attend CU Green Labs events or Green Labs group meetings for your department, participate in contests and more.
We ask you to share relevant information you receive from CU Green Labs with your laboratory. If this opportunity interests you, please contact CU Green Labs at greenlabs@colorado.edu. It would be great to have you on board!
CU Green Labs is excited to invite you to participate in the Eco-Leader Advancement Program, a 100% voluntary program designed for researchers at CU Boulder. This program is for individuals who want to take further action to learn more about sustainability in laboratories and be able to add the designation of “Certified Eco-Leader” to their resume.
We have designed this program as a way for Eco-Leaders to enhance their resumes, learn more about sustainability and receive further training on laboratory sustainability efforts for their labs. The overall goal is for laboratories at CU Boulder to become more sustainable through the leadership of the Eco-Leader in their laboratory and for the Eco-Leader's knowledge and skills to grow.
What is the Eco-Leader Advancement Program?
The Eco-Leader Advancement Program is a voluntary, self-paced course that lab members can complete to develop their knowledge of sustainability in the laboratory setting and to integrate better practices into their laboratory operations. Assignments incorporate at-home and in-person learning, allowing students to learn at their own pace. The course consists of three levels that overview the sustainable lab movement, introduce students to initiatives at the CU campus and provide them with tools to assess opportunities for improvement in their labs.
Participants in the course will be recognized at the Annual Campus Sustainability Summit and receive a certificate for each level completed.
What Should I Expect in this Program?
Level 1: Eco-Leader in Training
Level 1 introduces the sustainable lab movement, overviews initiatives at CU Boulder and beyond, and guides students through several action items to complete with their lab group. Students develop a basic understanding of why sustainability in laboratory settings is important, as well as the concept of environmental justice.
Level 2: Intermediate Eco-Leader
Level 2 is more application-based and delves into the current sustainability of the Eco Leader’s lab. After a comprehensive assessment of the lab’s current practices, the Eco Leader and their team choose to make three changes to improve the sustainability of the lab.
Level 3: Certified Eco-Leader
Level 3 broadens the scope to focus on systemic change in the scientific and research communities. Eco Leaders learn about normalizing sustainability language in research grants and supply chains and about sharing equipment and spaces between lab groups at the same institutions. This level gives Eco Leaders the chance to contribute and lead in their communities and beyond.
Additional Information:
- You must be part of the CU Boulder system to enroll in the Canvas course. However, Green Labs is happy to share the course content with anyone interested. Please feel free to contact us.
- You can get started with the program immediately after you enroll. Someone from CU Green Labs will contact you to set up a short meeting to discuss your and your lab's needs.
- The Green Labs group welcomes any feedback regarding the Eco-Leader Advancement Program. Please contact us with any suggestions or feedback regarding the program or enrolling process.
Get Started with the Eco-Leader Advancement Program (Under Construction)
2. Enroll in the Canvas Course
We promise it won't be like a normal class/course! But, we are using the Canvas platform to help you keep track of your progress.
You will be prompted to log into Canvas using your CU Boulder identikey and password, then select "Enroll in Course." Next, click "Go to Course."
What is a Team Lead?
A Green Labs Team Lead drives resource conservation initiatives in their department or building. Usually, a Team Lead is an Eco-Leader who shows a strong passion for doing more beyond their lab. A Team Lead can be anyone, such as a paid graduate student or a volunteer staff member. Regardless of their role on campus, a Team Lead works with CU Green Labs to identify projects and areas of opportunity within their department or building to work on independently or with a team. Team Leads gain outreach and communication skills while assisting laboratories in their department to become more sustainable. If you want to become a Team Lead for CU Green Labs, please contact greenlabs@colorado.edu.