CST BLOG: Lab Expectations

The official blog of Cell Signaling Technology (CST) where we discuss what to expect from your time at the bench, share tips, tricks, and information.

All Posts

It probably comes as no surprise to you, since you work in a lab, that labs use five times the amount of water as a standard office building.

From the needs of RODI  (reverse osmosis de-ionized) water to glass wash facilities, sink flushing protocols, and just day-to-day experiments it all adds up. In addition to these water-intensive lab practices, we still have the conventional water use of any workspace, such as the cafeteria, bathrooms, and irrigation for landscaping.

18-BCH-47424 Water CSR copy

Even while we hear about global water shortages in South Africa and The Middle East, the melting of Himalayan glaciers, water bans in California, or the low water level of the Ipswich River close to our headquarters, water conservation is not often a top priority for US companies. Water usage certainly has a high cost in terms of environmental externalities, and from a strictly financial sense water in the US is extremely cheap. From an accounting standpoint, it’s actually wastewater and sewer bills that add up, as the direct charges for water itself are often quite low.

At Cell Signaling Technology, we recently publicized our climate change targets in adherence to the Paris COP21 climate accords. Utility companies and energy suppliers in the United States offer financial incentives for customers to curb their natural gas and electricity use, but incentives for reducing water use have a long way to catch up. These types of subsidies help with implementing practical conservation solutions. Nonetheless, beyond financial benefits, water conservation is simply the right thing to do for the planet as we face the prospect of a more arid climate.

Over the last 20 years, it's been our mission to make a lasting, positive impact on scientific research, but also to do so in a sustainable and ethical way. CST has a long-term target to reduce our water consumption by 20%. We encourage you to challenge your organizations to do the same. Here are some examples of what we are doing to hit our goal. Hopefully, some of these are items that you could think about implementing in your lab:

  •      Installing dual-flow flush toilets 0.5 gallons/flush
  •      Setting timers when performing a flush protocol in the lab
  •      Low flow aerators in non-lab sinks
  •      Foot pedals and flow restrictors in our glass wash facilities
  •      Use a SaaS for real-time monitoring of our water use
  •      Irrigation upgrades and conservative parameters

o   We actually use reclaimed water from our RODI system for some irrigation outside and in our Atrium garden

  •     Low-flow aerators in non-lab sinks
  •     Consider gray water reclamation on-site as seen at New England Biolabs
  •     Perhaps a rainwater cistern!

Learn More about Corporate Social Responsibility at CST

Related Posts

Employee-Directed Global Giving Provides $150K for Humanitarian Causes

At Cell Signaling Technology (CST), our philosophy of giving and supporting those in need is at the heart...
Krystyna Hincman Mar 20, 2024

Five Reasons to Choose a Conjugation Service Over an Antibody Labeling Kit

The need for antibody conjugation is on the rise due to the increased use of multiplexing. Not only are e...
Alexandra Foley Mar 6, 2024

Networking at Conferences: Five Tips for the Introverted Scientist

Networking is an important part of any research career,1 with many experts considering networking and net...
Kenneth Buck, PhD Feb 28, 2024