U.S. Army Bases Going Green to Save Money
November 18, 2008 · Print This Article
While American military bases may be implementing green strategies into their operations – like calculating their carbon footprints – they’re not necessarily going to be on the front-line in the fight against global warming. They’re only interested in environmental measures that will save them money and stay in line with their main strategic war-fighting goals. But, their efforts will be a big help anyway, as they cut back on emissions and turn to renewable energy sources.
Plenty Mag has the scoop on what the military is doing to go green:
Many military bases now use renewable energy: California’s China Lake naval facility is powered by a geothermal plant, while Nevada’s Nellis Air Force Base gets juice from a massive solar array.
At North Carolina’s Fort Bragg, troops train in mock villages built from recycled shipping containers. The container construction cuts waste and energy use, while reducing the price tag from $400,000 per village to just $25,000.
At forward operating bases in Iraq and Afghanistan, 85 percent of energy goes to power AC units that keep troops and equipment cool. Spraying foam insulation directly onto tents has cut energy losses by 45 percent, reducing the amount of diesel trucked to the front line and decreasing convoys’ exposure to attacks.
Of course, Plenty Mag points out that the military is also committing plenty of eco-sins and that isn’t likely to change any time soon. Among the offenses are heavy reliance on coal, whale-harming sonar from Navy ships, use of depleted uranium munitions, hogging funds that could be used for environmental projects and, perhaps worst of all, aiming to sidestep rules governing Superfund sites and air pollution, skipping costly clean-ups on 129 heavily-polluted sites and redefining “hazardous materials” to exclude unexploded munitions.
Naturally, we’d love to see the military find ways of operating that don’t put the environment and human health at risk. Hopefully more changes will occur over the next 8 years of Barack Obama’s leadership – we can dream!
Link [Plenty Mag]
Photo credit: Nellis Air Force Base
- Reduce the Military's Carbon Bootprint!
- Traditions and zcustoms in Indian Army
- U.S. must curb building of nuclear reactors/weapons.
Related Posts:
Bush 0 Whales 1, Federal Court Rules Against Use of Navy SonarMilitary Blocks Massive Solar Power Project in Nevada
McCain Doesn’t Want to Give Veterans Increased Education Benefits
Military Spy Vehicles Powered by Alternative Energy
Obama Seeks to Out-Do Clinton in Greening the White House
There is now another tool to help our Armed Forces go green: Swaptree. Check out their newest press release regarding the Army: http://eon.businesswire.com/portal/site/eon/permalink/?ndmViewId=news_view&newsId=20081112005816&newsLang=en
Check out the site at Swaptree.com – trade books, CDs, DVDs, and video games.
When being bitten by ants and alligators, its hard to remember that you are there to save the swamp!
Please remember that it double hard to save the planet while being shot at. So lets hope the Military does it’s 1st priority job very good. You know….keep us all safe.
I know … “give peace a chance”. You go first … leave your door unlocked with a sign “DOOR UNLOCKED” on it, and when some guys come in later that night … “give peace a chance”.
Don’t forget – “DOOR UNLOCKED”