San Antonio military organizations kick off 'Green Week'

  • Published
  • By Steve Davis
  • Air Force Real Property Agency Public Affairs
LACKLAND AIR FORCE BASE, Texas --  Planet Earth received a lot of nurturing from the Air Force today as "Green Week" activities began with a kickoff ceremony and a "green" Expo featuring more than 20 San Antonio businesses and organizations.

"This is an important time to pause and think about how we go about our business as an Air Force and also personally," said Brig. Gen. Mark A. Ediger, commander of the Air Force Medical Operations Agency at the kickoff ceremony. The ceremony, held outside of Bldg. 171 at Port San Antonio, was attended by many employees and leaders from the 13 Air Force organizations that call Bldg. 171 home.

"The way we go about what we do today both personally and in our work really has the greatest impact on generations to follow," Ediger said.

He cited several things the Air Force is doing to protect the environment.

Among them are:
- The Air Force Research Lab has developed a way to strip paint off of aircraft using a much less toxic method than previously used.

- Hill Air Force Base, Utah, reuses and recycles solvents used to clean metal parts and mechanical devices, greatly reducing solvent disposal challenges.

- Air Force medicine has eliminated the use of heavy metal developing chemicals by going digital.

- Lackland Air Force Base, Texas, has an award-winning recycling center that in just the last few months has processed more than 1 million pounds of material, including recycled paper equivalent to 1,800 trees.

Ediger proposed that everyone focus this Earth Day on what each can personally do over the next year to improve the environment.

"Let's make it more than a one-day thing," he said. "If each of us can think about just one thing we are going to change in our lives that will be more friendly to the environment and then sustain it over the course of the year, those kinds of things will really add up," he said.

At the expo's "Blue Acts of Green" table, Master Sgt. Vanessa Love was one of about 70 people who stopped to type a personal Earth Day commitment on Facebook. To support Earth Day 2012 (April 20), the Air Force "Blue Acts of Green" Facebook page was developed to capture the commitment of Air Force employees worldwide.

"I use energy efficient light bulbs," said Love.

Mary Jo Perez from the Air Force Medical Operations Agency wrote, "We recycle water bottles."

Some building employees promised to carpool. Others committed to avoid using plastic bags, taking shorter baths, saving energy, or making sculptures out of junk.

To see commitments made during the expo, visit www.facebook.com/blueactsofgreen. You can also visit this location to make your own commitments.

Also at the expo, San Antonio businesses and organizations presented earth-friendly information, products or demonstrations at tables that lined the main hallway of the 452,310 square-foot building, home to about 3,000 military and civilian employees.

Blaine Eaton with the South Texas Herpetology Association brought 30 snakes common to Texas, including rattlesnakes, highly venomous coral snakes and other poisonous snakes, as well as a variety of non-venomous snakes.

Eaton explained that snakes are an important part of the eco-system that helps control other animals that may spread rabies. His organization is made up of volunteers who help save snakes and provide public educational activities to explain the value of snakes.

Hosted by the Air Force Center for Engineering and the Environment and Air Force Real Property Agency, "Green Week" includes seven days of activities between April 12 - 20. Activities include two San Antonio park cleanups, an aquifer demonstration by the Edwards Aquifer Authority, and a green car show.