Sustainable laboratories: Reducing water

Group photo

Source: © University of York

How to adapt water cooling for water-stressed regions and investigate the carbon footprint of different circulation options

Water is the forgotten consumable of chemistry and we often take for granted how easily available it is for washing, cooling and performing reactions. But while the financial cost is usually absorbed by university departments, excessive and unchecked water use also has a substantial social and environmental cost that lab users have a responsibility to mitigate.