April 25, 2019
PHC Corporation of North America
Wood Dale, IL, April 25, 2019 – The PHC Information Network, an educational resource of PHC Corporation of North America, has published an audio podcast with Allison Paradise, Founder and CEO of My Green Lab, a California-based non-profit established to enhance sustainability through all phases of scientific research.
In the 19 minute interview, Allison discusses the Freezer Challenge, created by My Green Lab to draw attention to challenges and successes associated with archival storage of biologicals and other life forms at low temperatures sufficient to preserve generations of research.
Paradise says the evolution of ultra-low temperature freezer technology is a microcosm of how sustainability can be viewed. "Sustainability initiatives should reduce the environmental impact of laboratories without compromising research. The Freezer Challenge was created to help scientists manage their cold storage units and samples in a way that reduces overall energy consumption, minimizes waste, improves the performance of their cold storage units, and better protects their samples. We are thrilled to see freezer manufacturers approaching product development with a broader emphasis on all aspects of sustainability".
Paradise added that the Freezer Challenge is an opening to a deeper discussion about sustainability on a facility or global level, one that considers energy, water, landfill diversion and stewardship of resources. "Improved maintenance of freezers ensures better protection of precious samples. Discarding samples that are no longer needed ensures that labs not purchasing freezers they may not actually need".
As a leading worldwide provider of ultra-low temperature and cryogenic storage freezers to the scientific community, PHC Corporation continues to support global sustainability objectives through research and development, logistics and manufacturing processes.
The International Laboratory Freezer Challenge is a nationwide competition that rewards best practices in cold storage management. Many of these best practices also result in significant energy savings. PHC Corporation expects the impact of the Challenge will benefit the scientific community around the world as cost savings in equipment operation are reinvested into basic research in support of drug discovery, regenerative medicine and leading-edge clinical treatments.