Sustainability is an increasingly prevalent term. It refers to the ability to maintain or support a process over a period of time for now and future generations. [1]
Environmental sustainability has become increasingly important with the looming threat of climate change being one of the main concerns globally due to fossil fuels, rising temperatures and biodiversity threats. Statistics show that just last year it was noted that 2023 was the warmest year on record since 1850 with expectations of 2024 to be warmer again.[2]
As energy consumers with a carbon footprint, there is a growing conversation on the need for biobanks to engage in decarbonisation and promote greener biobanking, but given the magnitude of the challenge – where do biobanks start? Anecdotally, a persistent hurdle to biobanks engaging with greener practices is the notion that large scale change is required for sufficient impact. This is a misnomer, and our goal was to identify grass roots, achievable practices that could be implemented by biobanks as part of an initial strategy to support environmentally sustainable biobanking.
Following a review of the emerging literature we established a five-point-plan to make achievable, yet feasible changes to our biobanking infrastructure. Within this 5-point plan strategies could be broadly grouped as; 1) freezer management – spacing, maintenance and temperature management 2) consumable recycling programs, 3) Data management and storage 4) substitution and rationalisation of storage protocols 5) collaboration and culture change.
Each of these practices, in isolation or in combination, represent a conscious move towards environmentally sustainable biobanking. Our hope is that by identifying simple and achievable actions that biobanks can implement within the short term, without the need for extensive additional resources, we can help to promote a move towards change for the better.