Nature's wardens: Luke Airmen set the standard for environmental programs

At first glance, it's an office like any other. It's the first door upon the left past the men's swing An old weathered universal waste sign is magnetized to the top of its door frame. on the other hand like many things, what makes this office special is what's upon the inside.

It's the office of Jeff Schone chief of environmental quality at Luke Air Force Base, Ariz. Amid the stacks of papers, reports and sticky notes double parked across his desk and computer; it has boxe of recyclables, environmental marketing promotional items and educational tools stacked to the bottom of his Periodic Table of simple bodys and Arizona Sport Fish posters

This office is also special because it's the place of abode of the base's environmental quality program--a program that's making a big difference.

"We have individual of the most comprehensive environmental programs here upon our base because everything we deal with is really critical--from our water conservation to our air quality management--because we are in a non-attainment area," Mr Schone said. "This means that we have true strict rules and air quality guidelines we have to adhere to."

It's a challenge that's no small obstacle to overthrow According to the base officials, if Luke was to "create its have a title to country" it would have the fifth largest air force in the world.

Education and Innovation

Education is single of the program's top priorities. In the past, the environmental education and awareness programs weren't felicitous In fact, their recycling efforts began to globule off. While good programs were in place, many Airmen didn't strike one as being to really care about the programs. with equal reason the unorthodox idea of marketing the environment was born with the lightning-flash Recycling program.

The staff created a program for base "recycling captains" and the Luke Environmental superiority Program, with links on the base's Web site. They also established a base-specific environmental training program online, educating 6400 clan in two months.

While environmental education was in filled swing, they got to work recruiting proffers and re-evaluating programs, looking for innovative technologies upon base and in the local community.

through partnering with Phoenix area companies, the base has been able to recycle almost anything, similar as alkaline batteries, paper, made of wood pallets, cell phones and inkier printer cartridges. These community partnerships not sole improved the recycling program, they save coin and improve the current state of business at the base.

The base has also improved its innovations internally by means of using bio-diesel fuel, expanding the use of golf carts across the base and installing solar panel lighting upon the roof of the base exchange.

Another of the like kind innovation is the good stewardship recyclables bag. These bags were created by means of the environmental office and handed on the outside door-to-door in base housing. It's interstice on both sides, machine-washable and designed to hang from doorknobs or wall curved catchs to help make recycling easier, and has a list of recyclable items printed upon them. They worked so well that they began to distribute them to local communities.

"We want the community to know that we are a serviceable thing to have around Phoenix," Mr Schone said. "We're doing things in the community, with the community and for the community, and they in make go round do so much for us."

To continue their programs' growing the staff purchased a baler for aluminum can recycling. Glass recycling is scheduled to begin nearest spring and plans are below way to recycle food oils from the dining halls, bludgeons and base housing. Luke is also constructing a "green building"--built with environmentally friendly materials of the like kind as non-hazardous paint and recycl carpets.

The Rewards

With all its efforts, the base has received abundant praise--from the 2005 White House Closing the Circle award to the trust and appreciation of the local community.

"(The base's) partnership is worth in the way that much to our organization," said Terry Gellenbeck, Solid Waste Administration Analyst with the City of Phoenix and the city's official representative for the Valleywide Recycling Partnership. "The outgoing, energetic family that volunteer from the base bring thus much excitement and motivation with them that they are worth a apportionment more than any amount of circulating medium they donate. To me, that displays just how vital they are to this community and what a vital part of the solution they are."

In more practical terminuss the base has eliminated 12 hazardous waste streams, saving more than $77000 and reduc others by the agency of more than 99.9 percent.

Use of the base's electric cars has reduc more than 600000 miles of driving pollution. Base officials eliminated 48 tons of base pollutants, capture 9999 percent of toxic hermes particles from the new dental recuperation system, reclaimed 100 percent of aerospace soil equipment's petroleum, oil and lubricants, saving more than $350000 in mastery costs and performed 29 asbestos abatements for 28 buildings.