For our entry in the “Excellence in Another Area” gold medal criteria, we decided to challenge our friends, and also co-workers of different laboratories, to partake in a small photography competition. The rules were simple: while at their laboratories or during their daily life, they would take pictures showcasing situations where preventable plastic disposal is occuring. As such, we are bringing awareness to how much waste one generates in a single day. The best photos would be posted in our marvelous wiki and, to the most creative and impactful photos, a special prize was awarded – these cute little medals made from recycled materials.
The Top 3 Winners
Position: First place
Name: One-nightStand
Author: Guilherme Vilela Alves
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Position: Second place
Name: #2muchplastic
Author: Mr_Boba
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Position: Third place
Name: GlassMaterial
Author: Célia Sarmento
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Posters for a More Plastic Responsible Scientific Research
In our efforts to combat microplastics, not only did we develop our ambitious system, but we also tried to contribute in different but meaningful ways to diminish plastic waste. For this, our outstanding instructors made an informative poster discussing ways to mitigate the plastic waste in the science field, more specifically, while working in a laboratory. The poster is based on recommendations provided by the Edinburgh University and provides useful tips to reduce and prevent unnecessary plastic waste produced in the lab. The poster was distributed throughout our main institute (ITQB), and shared with the iGEM community, in an effort to spread more awareness and provide solutions to the waste we ourselves produce while working. The fight against plastic waste is still ongoing and we need all the help we can get, therefore we encouraged everyone, especially future iGEM teams, to both share it, as well as improve upon it with more tips and useful information that might further improve how we work in the lab, helping ensure the safety of future generations from the terrors of the plastic pandemic. Check out our amazing posters below (click on them to zoom in), as well as some photos shot during our sharing frenzy.
Tips and Tricks for a More Sustainable Future
Social media platforms became the main form we communicate and interact with our friends and an outlet to express ourselves to the world. Many great initiatives have been originated and have grown from social media accounts, spreading their message and wisdom. We decided to take a similar approach, exploring what we could do with our social media account, to contribute further to our daily fight against plastic waste. With that in mind, some of our amazing team-members filmed a couple of creative and highly educational videos, with useful daily life tips and tricks, that anyone can do, with the aim of reducing the plastic waste in the day-to-day life of a regular individual. These tips are easy to accomplish, affordable and more importantly, contribute for a greener planet. What are you waiting for? Go check our social media and start implementing them today!
