ALGONQUIN COLLEGE
College's "Greening the Lab" Initiative cuts waste, lowers costs, and inspires change

Algonquin College is marking Earth Day with a sustainability milestone: its innovative Greening the Lab initiative will be showcased nationally at the 2026 Canadian Association of Schools of Nursing (CASN) Biennial Canadian Nursing Education Conference. Nursing faculty members Sheena Barton and Nancy Lada will present the project as a model for environmentally responsible nursing education.

Now in its seventh year, Greening the Lab reduces waste, lowers costs, and strengthens hands-on learning by reusing and recycling nursing lab supplies that never come into contact with patients. By rethinking how materials are ordered, used, and redistributed, the initiative significantly reduces the program's environmental footprint while ensuring students continue to develop essential clinical skills.

"At its core, this work is about shifting the mindset from want to need," said Barton, Nursing Studies Instructor. "When we track what students actually use, we can order more effectively and assemble kits with greater intention."

Each term, students return their lab kits voluntarily. Faculty and technologists sort and redistribute materials across the College. Supplies that once went to landfill now support multiple programs, including:

• Early Learning Centre: cotton balls, drape pads, and similar items for creative and sensory learning
• Veterinary Technician: gloves, pads, and syringes (without needles) for animal care training
• Personal Support Worker: repurposed materials for realistic care simulations

The initiative builds on a long-standing culture of environmental awareness within Algonquin's nursing program. Past student projects have reduced plastic waste, introduced water refill stations, and expanded recycling options in health science labs. Each fall, community health nursing students continue to contribute through course projects tied to Greening the Lab.

Since 2019, the team has applied the principles of reduce, reuse, recycle, rethink, and repurpose to purchasing and lab operations. Early data shows clear savings for both students and the department, along with strengthened collaboration across the College.

The project also supports Algonquin College's broader sustainability commitments, including integrating Indigenous worldviews. The team hopes to collaborate with Indigenous artists and Elders to highlight the connection between health, land, and community.

What began as a modest student project has grown into a powerful example of how sustainability, education, and innovation can work together.