The Laboratory Assessments for Research Sustainability (LARS) program at UCSB assists laboratory managers and occupants in increasing laboratory resource efficiency and quality of research while using sustainable practices that leave the smallest environmental footprint possible. This pilot program is advised by a group of UCSB Laboratory Research and Technical Staff (LabRATS), which promotes the evaluation of laboratory procedures and implementation of performance standards to assist laboratories in becoming more sustainable.
Through voluntary enrollment, LARS increases the lab users’ and principle investigators’ (PIs’) understanding
of how laboratories can integrate sustainable practices into everyday research activities. LARS’ goals are to acknowledge laboratory conservation accomplishments, find opportunities for efficiency, answer questions, collaborate, and discover innovations in resource efficiency and conservation.
LARS is helping the university and the State of California to meet their ambitious climate impact reduction goals and is helping UCSB fulfill its mission of sustainability.
LARS is supported by the UCSB Laboratory Research and Technical Staff (LabRATS) and UCSB Geography Department. The UCSB Geography Department is committed to both teaching about sustainability in its courses and practicing sustainability in its operations and the programs which it supports.
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| State of California Climate Change: http://www.climatechange.ca.gov/ |
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| UCOP Sustainability Policies: http://www.ucop.edu/facil/sustain/welcome.html |
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 UCSB Sustainability: |
LARS would not be possible without the leadership and resources of the UCSB sustainability office, and dozens of “change agents” devoted to sustainability across campus.
