FORT RUCKER, Ala. (April 21, 2015) -- Although the Earth may be around for a few billion more years, the future of the human race on the planet is largely dependent on its inhabitants, and Fort Rucker is doing what it can to educate the public on going green.
Fort Rucker will celebrate its fourth Earth Day Expo at the festival fields April 22 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. as a way to educate the installation and the Wiregrass on what it means to be good environmental stewards, according to Darrel Hager, environmental protection specialist for the environmental management branch.
A slew of businesses and organizations have been invited to attend the event to showcase products, services and demonstrations designed to help people better serve the environment on the organizational level, in the office or at home, Hager said.
"It's about awareness, so that people can understand that the way we currently live can't sustain us for the long run," he said. "The original Earth Day was about 45 years ago and it was an international event that brought attention to the issues. It was the catalyst for some of our first environmental regulations. This is the same kind of thing.
"We need to put it out there and show people that there are environmental issues and there are things that we have to look at," Hager added. "We want to make them aware of all the different environmental services available to them."
From things like the type of power they use to run their cars, facilities and homes, to the type of soap or cleaners that people use can make a difference in the sustainability of the Earth, he said.
"Teaching people about the simple things like which soaps might contain more chemicals over the other can make a difference -- things like this matter," said Hager.
"You don't know the damage you could be causing to either yourself or the environment if you're not educated on the subject," added Melissa Lowlavar, EMB chief. "(The expo) is a way to educate people that there are better things that they can do to help the Earth and be good environmental stewards.
"There are products that people can use at home that are not only better products for the environment, but better for their family, as well," she said. "It might provide less exposure to chemicals for the family. One thing people should realize is that just because you've always used (a certain product) or done something a certain way doesn't mean it's a good thing. That's why we want to get the information out to the Fort Rucker community, as well as people in the Wiregrass, about new, innovative ideas in the environmental field."
The expo will also feature the E-cycling event, where people can bring their old electronics to be recycled. People can bring computer towers, keyboards, computer mice, printers, scanners, laptops, wires, microwaves, coffee pots, power cords, battery backups, lead batteries, satellite receivers, cell phones and telephones. No government hand-receipt items will be accepted.
It's important to recycle these materials because, Hager said, much of the equipment contains elements and chemicals that can be harmful to the environment if disposed of improperly.
For those who miss out on the E-cycling event, these items can be recycled year round at the recycling center in Bldg. 9322, located on Third Avenue.
Hager said that it's important that people understand that there is no quick fix to the problem of environmental waste and that it demands a lifestyle change in order to make a real impact.
Education is important because for the more than seven billion people in the world, most are living in a way that isn't sustainable for the Earth, he said.
"If you look at where most of the major cities are built, they were built near water sources for the access to water and the ability to drain sewage," said Hager. "Up until the 18th century, the Thames River in London could handle the sewage being put out by the city, but with population growth, it could no longer handle the sewage being dumped into the river. What you use in your household may not seem significant, but it builds up -- it's the cumulative effect."
There are a finite number of resources on the Earth and a certain amount of demand, and soon the demand will outweigh the resources that the Earth can provide, said the environmental protection specialist. Finding and using renewable resources is the best way to curb that dependence on those finite resources, such as fossil fuels.
"Environmental change has to be a lifestyle change -- it's like exercising. If you do it every day, then it gets to be a habit. It's the same with being green," he said. "If you just do it for one weekend, it's not going to make as much of an impact as it would if you do it all the time. Like exercise, the longer you do it, the more results you'll see."
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