In the fall of 2023, ARVO took a significant step toward promoting sustainability by committing to increased sustainable practices and reducing the carbon footprint within the eye and vision research field. To lead this effort, ARVO established the Community for Sustainable Vision Research Working Group (CSVR), chaired by C. Ross Ethier, PhD, FARVO.
ARVO is also proud to be a member of EyeSustain, a global coalition of ophthalmic institutions, societies, and their members dedicated to advancing sustainability in eye and vision care.
Our mission is to advance vision research by promoting sustainable laboratory practices. We provide resources that empower vision researchers to reduce environmental impact, enhance resource efficiency, and foster a culture of sustainability that supports both scientific excellence and the well-being of our planet.
Getting Started with Sustainability
Explore the growing resource library below to guide you and your institution in developing and implementing sustainable practices.
- US-Based Programs
- Programs Based Outside the US (more information coming soon)
- Funded Projects Related to Climate Change
- Biopharma Industry
- Academic Institutions and Research Centers
- Carbon Offsets Sites
US-Based Programs
My Green Lab
My Green Lab, based in San Diego, Calif., is a non-profit organization that improves the sustainability of scientific research. My Green Lab works with scientists, vendors, designers, energy providers and others to reflect the highest standards of social and environmental responsibility, oversee the implementation, and inspire behavioral changes in laboratory environments throughout the scientific research community. My Green Lab offers many programs to help make a positive change to the work environment for future sustainability. Please check out many of the offered programs online.
NIH Green Labs Program
Since 2018, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) has developed the Green Labs Program (GLP) to raise awareness, increase participation in sustainable laboratory practices, and protect the environment and human health. GLP is collaborative to lay the groundwork for the research and to learn environmental stewardship by providing information on related policies, regulations, and mandates. Many environmental initiatives could be integrated into the self-assessment process.
Lab Renew
Lab Renew is a non-profit organization dedicated to changing how research labs use their energy, water, and waste, thus saving the planet. It partners with My Green Lab to help labs optimize energy saving, lower carbon footprint, and create less waste for more sustainability.
Seeding Labs
Since 2008, Seeding Labs has been fostering a global network of scientific talent in developing countries, working to build a more equitable world. The organization has provided essential equipment to many universities and research institutes across 39 developing countries, empowering scientists to advance their research and innovation.
Through its flagship program, Instrumental Access, Seeding Labs supports the development of strong, sustainable scientific ecosystems. The program enables groundbreaking discoveries while training a new generation of scientists to tackle current and future global challenges.
Plenty
Fetal bovine serum (FBS) is often used in scientific research experiments such as cell culture. Plenty is an FBS alternative containing growth factors and cytokines. It is environmentally friendly and slaughter-free to collect from cows that were rescued from dairy farms and slaughterhouses. Plenty has been shown to work well with many cell lines in the lab with an unwavering dedication to stringent animal welfare standards.
The Joint Commission Sustainable Healthcare Certification
A certification program intersecting with clinical care across all areas of health care delivery. It currently has several hundred US hospitals signed up, and is affiliated with over 15,000 organizations.
Programs Based Outside the US
International Institute for Sustainable Laboratories (I2SL)
The I2SL is dedicated towards advancing the safety and sustainability of laboratories and other high-technology facilities globally. It engages all stakeholders and provides information and education to ensure safe operations, optimal design and engineering of laboratories.
Funded Projects Related to Climate Change
- BUSPH-HSPH Climate Change and Health Research Coordinating Center (CAFE) | Center for Climate & Health
- National Institute of Environmental Health Science - Climate Change
- The NIH Climate Change and Health Initiative is a huge resource for climate change and health initiative (CCHI)-related seminars, research activities, impact on health, and literatures.
- NIH Environmental Management System contains a lot of useful information about sustainability and community events.
- US National Science Foundation Environmental Sustainability Program is a website that lists current awards and new program funding opportunities.
Biopharma Industry
Industry Consortium to Develop Sustainability Roadmap for Biopharma
The article discusses the BioPhorum industry consortium's initiative to develop a sustainability roadmap for the biopharmaceutical industry. The consortium aims to standardize sustainability assessments across the sector, focusing on green energy, water consumption, waste management, and packaging. By aligning methodologies, the consortium seeks to facilitate benchmarking and improvements in manufacturing processes, including single-use systems and continuous bioprocessing. The roadmap is expected to be published in mid-2024.
Industry-University Research Teams Focus on Sustainable Biomanufacturing
The Carbon Utilization Redesign for Biomanufacturing-Empowered Decarbonization (CURB) Engineering Research Center, led by Washington University in St. Louis, is at the forefront of this initiative. Funded by a five-year, $26 million grant from the National Science Foundation, the center aims to develop efficient chem-bio hybrid systems that convert renewable energy and carbon dioxide into chemicals, fuels, and materials, decarbonizing U.S. manufacturing and reducing reliance on petrochemical products.
Sustainability: A Key Differentiator as Biopharma Faces Momentum Challenges, According to Global Survey by Cytiva // Biopharma Sustainability | Cytiva
The article discusses a global survey by Cytiva, revealing that 62% of biopharma professionals prioritize sustainability over the next five years. The survey highlights that 63% view sustainability as crucial for differentiation and business growth. Over the past year, companies focusing on sustainability have reported revenue increases (55%), profit (57%), share price (56%), brand reputation (58%), and talent attraction (54%). However, 76% struggle to measure sustainability return on investment and 64% believe poor sustainability performance poses critical risks. The article emphasizes the need for collaboration across the value chain to mitigate climate change and achieve sustainability goals.
Sustainability Provides an Opportunity for Innovation
The article emphasizes that sustainability should be viewed as a business opportunity rather than a penalty. It highlights that implementing new sustainable technologies with the same functions as existing ones can provide a competitive advantage. The piece also discusses the importance of understanding the technologies being implemented to communicate with health authority scientists effectively and to make cogent arguments for their adoption. The author, David Roush, PhD, CEO of Roush Biopharma Panacea, underscores the need for manufacturers to see sustainability as a business opportunity, not a penalty.
Early Days Regarding Sustainability Decisions
The article discusses the early stages of integrating sustainability into biomanufacturing practices. James Dean Vogel, founder and director of The BioProcess Institute, notes that defining and measuring sustainability remains a significant challenge, with interpretations varying across organizations. For instance, some companies focus on reducing carbon footprints, while others prioritize water usage or waste management. Vogel emphasizes the need for comprehensive analyses to determine the most sustainable practices, such as comparing the environmental impacts of single use versus multi-use equipment. He advocates for considering sustainability at all stages of development and manufacturing, regardless of the company's maturity.
Academic Institutions and Research Centers
The following links provide examples of academic institutions and research centers that have implemented concrete actionable steps to:
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Reduce the impact of laboratory research and clinical operations on the environment,
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Select more sustainable and at the same time more effective strategies to accomplish their mission in research and teaching, and
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Generate innovation and obtain funding for sustainability initiatives in areas as diverse as facilities management and building infrastructure, research operations and education of future researchers.
Georgia Tech Office of Sustainability
Georgia Tech’s Office of Sustainability provides a range of examples; how universities and individual labs can implement procedures and initiatives to make progress towards well-defined and real-life sustainability goals. The same website also provides examples of how sustainability goals and policies can be used as effective tools to engage students, local communities and funders.
Harvard Office for Sustainability
The Harvard Office for Sustainability provides a wealth of actionable plans and concrete resources as “a holistic approach to address climate, equity, and health”. Presenting a consistent program ranging from local to international activities, the website provides ideas how individuals and programs can get and stay engaged with their sustainability initiatives and goals. Metrics-driven reports and success stories have the potential to instruct and inspire new initiatives.
Carbon Offsets Sites
Carbon offsets are “rights” or certificates connected to activities that lower the amount of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere. Carbon offsets can be “traded”. In lieu of taking a action that would lower a person’s own carbon emission e.g. not take a particular flight, a organization or individual can purchase a certificate that supports projects/groups that fight climate change.
Offset programs must be registered and the offset activities verified externally. Verra and Gold Standard are two of the primary organizations that establish guidelines for proper accounting of mitigation strategies.
While the use of carbon offsets was initially used by countries, they are now available to companies and individuals. While most offset projects are related to forests, including forest management (43%), there are also activities that focus on renewable energy (30%) and miscellaneous (waste management, gas capture, etc.) and small community projects (5%).
However, there are concerns with using carbon offsets:
- It is difficult to verify their environmental benefits. Indeed, a recent meta-analysis noted that offset benefits are frequently over-stated.
- The quantity of carbon that an offset program pledges to capture may take a newly planted tree up to 20 years to absorb.
- There is always a chance that newly planted trees will be destroyed by droughts, wildfires, disease outbreaks, and deforestation.
At this time, ARVO does not endorse a specific carbon offset scheme. Members are encouraged to individually consider purchasing carbon offsets, for example, to help mitigate their travel to the Annual Meeting. Some resources are provided below to help members make informed decisions about the purchase of carbon offsets.
The Berkeley Carbon Trading Project (BCTP)
The Berkeley Carbon Trading Project is a research and outreach program dedicated to studying the effectiveness of carbon trading and offset programs.
Verra
Verra helps set standards for climate action and sustainable development. Check out their Verified Carbon Standard Program, a greenhouse gas (GHG) crediting program.
Gold Standard
Gold Standard seeks to accelerate progress toward climate security and sustainable development
CoolClimate Network
CoolClimate’s mission is massively scale up the adoption of climate solutions.
Flight Free USA
This handy web site allows individuals to calculate emissions associated with specific air travel itineraries.
Honeycomb Strategies
Honeycomb Strategies specializes in creating effective solutions that drive sustainability in the event industry.
Coming soon
- Visit the My Green Lab booth at ARVO 2025 to learn more about their opportunities.
- Free educational virtual session in the Fall/Winter.