Credit: Gosia Sklodowska/Jon Chapman
Carole Landisman works in Center for Brain Science studying gap junction synapses in the brain. Having "always been a rabid environmentalist," she remembers her father "reusing everything and trying to leave as small a footprint on the earth as possible." Working for a chemical company in college, she was instrumental in preventing the disposal of many gallons of unused hydrofluoric acid by selling it back to the manufacturer. At Harvard, she adjusts the thermostat and turns off the lights when she leaves, and walks to work. While setting up her lab, she was frustrated by the over packaging of lab supplies sent by an important Harvard supplier. Understanding how much influence Harvard has, she initiated discussions about packaging between procurement and the corporate office. Carol is also working to increase the availability of recycling bins for bottles and cans. At a recent high school graduation, she noticed large recycling bins all over the outside of the campus and at every entrance of the building, with signs posted that said "We Recycle." "Why couldn't Harvard do the same thing?" she wondered.
The challenge is to integrate what you do at home with what you do at work.