Two weeks ago I didn’t text, I didn’t Skype, and my Facebook page was a sad, unrevealing shell of a thing because, at the time, I had no interest in sharing either my deeds or my thoughts with my “friends.” But all that changed when my daughter-in-law went into labor and the only way to track events was via text messages. News of the delivery came in the form of a four-word message from my son that read: “Ta Da. She’s here.” Since her birth, the texting has continued fast and furious. And, in addition to buying a camera for the computer in order to Skype little Olivia, I suddenly cannot resist telling my Facebook friends all about her.

My point is, regardless of one’s reluctance to share information or communicate via these new mediums, their availability and obvious usefulness cannot be ignored. And if you have yet to be seduced in one way or another by “social media,” you’re stronger than I.

This month’s cover story examines the shifting attitudes among lab professionals regarding Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and the like. Bit by bit, it seems we’re all coming around.

This being the April issue, the month in which the U.S. has celebrated Earth Day (April 22) for the past 41 years, we have devoted a good amount of our editorial to “green” laboratory matters. Our Design & Furnishings article looks at ways older laboratories are being retrofitted to meet current energy consumption and green building standards. Turn to page 32 to learn a variety of strategies to reduce energy consumption, ranging from major mechanical retrofits, to recommissioning existing HVAC systems, to installing exterior insulation and new lighting. Our Technology & Operations article on page 26 describes several approaches for ensuring that the automated equipment in your lab is designed for and operating at maximum efficiency. “With lab equipment that’s properly designed from the beginningin other words, optimized for a given applicationit’s possible to achieve substantial energy savings.” And if that’s not enough, turn to this month’s Mind Map on page 70 to learn a number of different steps you can take to further reduce your lab’s environmental impact.

Not related to energy efficiency but equally important is this month’s Ask the Expert column on laboratory water purification systems. Turn to page 52 to share University of Pennsylvania lab manager Emily Anna Bridges’ rather harrowing experience when the aged water purification system supplying water to her research building which, after months of leaking and contamination problems, stopped functioning entirely. And if you’re interested in knowing what your colleagues are looking for when it comes to their own lab water purification needs, turn to page 49 for the results of this month’s survey, “Are You in the Market for a Water Purification System?”

For anyone who attended last month’s Lab Manager Boot Camp at Pittcon in Atlanta, please let me know your thoughts regarding its usefulness. We were very pleased by the 150 plus attendance number and hope you all came away with some good leadership information and inspiration. If there was anything about this year’s Pittcon that was especially interesting or useful, please share that as well.

Lastly, I would be remiss without mentioning the disaster in Japan: first the earthquake and tsunami and then the release of radiation due to the damaged nuclear power plants. Our heartfelt condolences go out to those affected by these catastrophic events.

Pam