The Little Green Chemist – Making a Big Impact for Sustainable Laboratories

Posted on Monday 24 November 2025

The Operation SHINE project (Sustainability, Health, Innovation, and Nature Education) involves working with a wide range of people, from school children and the general public to fellow scientists and policy makers, on the principles of green chemistry and developing more sustainable laboratories, emphasising the environmental, social and economic benefits. 

Last year the team delivered a series of workshops to three schools across York, based on “how to be a scientist that is more friendly to nature”. As a part of these interactive workshops, the team developed their mascot “The Little Green Chemist”, to help engage the interest of school children in what it means to be a sustainable scientist.

As Green Chemistry Technician Richard Gammons explains: “Green Chemistry has the potential to make society, and the products we use, much more sustainable. However, as a technician, I am interested not only in the eventual outcomes, but also the way we do the science itself. The Little Green Chemist helps us focus attention on actually doing science in a more sustainable way.”

Surprisingly, the team has found that as well as engaging school children, ‘The Little Green Chemist’ mascot has also helped to initiate discussions in more formal spaces, when exploring the concept of sustainable laboratories with fellow scientists and key decision makers. 

By stimulating engagement with the wider chemistry research community in this way, the team hopes to encourage others to transform energy consumption in research labs, improve the carbon footprint of laboratory operations, enhance other key sustainability metrics, and to realise the economic benefits of adopting more sustainable practices.