FORT DRUM, New York -- (June 23, 2016) The world today is focusing more on the environment we will leave for future generations. President Barack Obama has made a push for clean energy while big business looks for new "green" initiatives.
The responsibility for securing an environmentally stable future for our children does not rest with the president, Congress or big business alone. The U.S. Army is joining in to do its part in fostering a "green" culture, and Fort Drum, New York, is doing its part.
Environmental considerations outlined in Army publications state that lasting "victories and successful end states are measured in part by how well the military addresses environmental considerations." In March 2015, President Obama issued Executive Order 13693 to address federal sustainability for the next decade. The order outlined the president's goals to reduce waste and move toward a net-zero energy, water and solid waste model.
Prior to the executive order, several people were already working behind the scenes to make this happen. It included individuals from the environment division and operations and maintenance division of Fort Drum Public Works as well as the 925th Contracting Battalion and Mission and Installation Contracting Command-Fort Drum. It started with the environmental division researching how to make a military installation net-zero with regard to solid waste. Although a recycling program was already in place, it was not producing the desired results.
To develop a net-zero solid waste program, it had to be simple.
"If it's not easy, it's not going to work. People want to do the right thing. What stops them is either a roadblock to doing the right thing or that they do not know what the right thing is," said Ian Crawford, an environmental scientist for the environmental division.
Management from the original recycling program maintained and distributed a comprehensive 16-page recycling guide informing all residents, Soldiers and employees on the installation of where and how to sort their recyclables. There were separate bins for paper, plastic, glass and a host of other types of recyclables.
The new recycling guide has been reduced from 16 pages to a single page. The goal was to achieve single stream recycling; all items go into one blue bin. From there, all recyclables would go to the Fort Drum Transfer Station before being transported to the material recovery facility.
After the public works environmental division developed a plan and the operations and maintenance division assessed the proposed implementation of the plan. Public works turned to the 925th CBN and MICC-Fort Drum to make the plan a reality.
"This was no easy task. The process to award such a significant program required very detailed market research, a descript performance work statement and a source selection board," said Jared Kiser, the contract specialist for the procurement. "After several months of hard work, the recycled hauling contract valued at over $315,000 was awarded."
Public works estimates that Fort Drum generates more than 6,000 tons of waste per year at a total cost of $95,000 to send it to a landfill. However, by diverting waste from the landfill to a recovery site, Fort Drum is both decreasing costs and generating revenue. The revenue from recycling diversion can be used to pay for recycling costs or to fund the directorate of family and morale, welfare and recreation programs. The Soldier or civilian who places an empty soda bottle into a blue container has indirectly funded future improvements to the installation's gyms and libraries as well as future Better Opportunities for Single Soldiers trips.
Crawford added that Fort Drum has built a simple and sustainable model for others to follow.
"We have future proofed the system," he said. "It cannot be any easier unless everything is biodegradable."
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