Engaging with Sustainability Through a Green Fair

From composting programs to land protection, connecting with local organizations can reveal opportunities to support community care for environmental causes. Environmental stewardship is one of the tenets of New England Biolabs^® (NEB^®), from our LEED^®-certified laboratory building to our extensive in-house recycling program. Internal sustainability and NEBGreen teams assess our environmental impact and engage in sustainability initiatives, including the NEBGreen Fair, which was hosted for the first time in May 2024.

A step-by-step guide to hosting a green fair, and some tips for success.

According to Research Technician and NEBGreen member Kristen Augulewicz, the fair was a chance to “connect [NEB] staff members with other organizations promoting sustainable practices and environmental stewardship.” Organizations included Green Beverly, Black Earth Compost, Reforest The Tropics, Change is Simple^®, Mass Audubon, the Gloucester Marine Genomics Institute, and the American Bird Conservancy. The blend of conservation, education, research, food security, and other missions allowed Fair attendees to see a variety of options to engage in environmental care in NEB labs and local communities. It was also a chance for internal groups like NEBGreen and the Ocean Plastic Art Club to recruit new members.

Organizations' booths and NEB attendees at the 2024 Green Fair.

“We brought in the social, environmental, and economic dimensions, and I love those conversations with people saying, ‘Why is this organization here?’ […] Then you have that conversation about the various dimensions of sustainability and why all of these groups need to come together, and that’s an educational moment,” NEB Sustainability Manager Levi Rogers said in an interview with Labconscious^®. The goal, he explained, was to challenge the conventional view of sustainability by expanding it through the fair.

We brought in the social, environmental, and economic dimensions, and I love those conservations with people saying, ‘Why is this organization here?’ […] Then you have that conversation about the various dimensions of sustainability and why all of these groups need to come together, and that’s an educational moment.

Additionally, there was a seminar by Daniel Lebbin, Ph.D., vice president of threatened species at the American Bird Conservancy (ABC), about bird conservation and technological innovations. This seminar showcased some of the data science used for conservation prioritization and the overall work being done by ABC. One of the programs discussed was BirdsPlus, which helps incentivize and implement management practices among farmers and ranchers in Latin America and the Caribbean.

“Because we can’t nature reserve our way out of the migratory bird problem, we have a strategy that we’re calling BirdsPlus to work outside of protected areas, often on working landscapes like the farm across the street to deliver best management practices that enhance habitat for the migratory birds,” Lebbin said in his seminar.

Together, the Green Fair was a way to “connect the biologists from the perspective of their interest and their expertise to the needs of the greater community to make […] environmental change,” said Dan Heiter, NEB sustainability associate, in an interview with Labconscious. Due to the success of last year’s event, NEBGreen will have another fair this year, featuring organizations such as Salem Sound Coastwatch, Nourishing the North Shore, Polycarbin, and more.

To learn more about NEB’s commitment to the environment, check out our video on our environmental legacy.

 LEED^® is a registered trademark of U.S. Green Building Council
CHANGE IS SIMPLE^® is a registered trademark of Change is Simple, Inc.