WIESBADEN, Germany – The U.S. Army Garrison Wiesbaden Commander, Col. Mario Washington, visited Headquarters and Headquarters Battalion, U.S. Army Europe-Africa offices Feb. 16 to present signs to Battalion Command Sgt. Maj. Joseph Daniel, signifying their participation in the Green Boot Program.
The program is part of the garrison's overall initiative to encourage units to decrease their energy use and ecological footprint. Working with the garrison, units start with a compliance checklist and work with the Directorate of Public Works' energy team to tailor the checklist to their individual requirements.
“This program is right in line with the Army’s climate strategy,” Washington said. “It is a program that not only conserves energy and minimizes impact on the environment, but also sets a positive example for staff, Soldiers, family members and the USAG Wiesbaden community.”
Tomasz Filatow, DPW’s energy manager, specified that the program is voluntary and is designed to equip units with the necessary tools to bolster energy efficiencies in their facilities. Other elements include minimizing environmental impact through recycling, solid waste reduction, and water conservation.
The Green Boot certification process starts with members of a unit contacting the DPW energy team to obtain the checklist and a briefing.
The checklist includes compliance requirements in various areas including awareness, transportation, energy conservation, office waste reduction, promoting recycling, buying eco-friendly products and educating everyone about green business practices.
The garrison’s energy team works with the units to tailor the checklist to their individual requirements. After members of a unit complete the checklist requirements, energy managers conduct a site visit to verify. If verification is successful, the organization is recognized with a Green Boot Program certificate by the garrison commander.
Following checklist completion, energy managers conduct a site visit to verify successful completion, and they continue to monitor and verify certification annually.
“The focus of the program is aimed at ensuring Americans do their part to protect the environment and show our host nation neighbors that we are good stewards,” Filatow said.
Filatow explained that DPW’s goal is to increase awareness by building relationships between tenant units and the garrison by sharing “best practices.” Energy managers and users can both benefit and help reduce waste and energy costs. “If we see a good practice in one unit we can cross fertilize to promote community involvement and innovation.”
“We want to impress upon participants that the training they acquire through the Green Boot Program -- they can take that back into combat. Making better use of energy resources is often a critical factor on the battlefield,” Filatow said.
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