Celebrating Earth Day at AMC

By Ms Cherish Washington (AMC)April 24, 2012

Auto Emissions Test
(Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

REDSTONE ARSENAL, Ala. -- From the parking lot to the sixth floor, the U.S. Army Materiel Command joined the rest of the nation in celebrating Earth Day by increasing awareness one employee at a time here, April 20.

The Environmental branch of AMC orchestrated stations on each floor of the building to discuss topics related to Earth Day.

In the lobby, information on household hazardous waste was discussed with examples and subject matter experts to encourage alternatives.

Employees in the basement focused on clean, bio-based products.

Denean Summers, environmental protection specialist, offered tools for making one's home energy efficient on the second floor.

"I want to do the right thing [for the earth] but I want to save money too," said Summers, as she explained a Home Energy Projects guide.

The Home Energy Projects guide with easy to complex, step by step instructions to making your home energy efficient includes price comparisons between tackling the project on your own versus hiring a contractor.

The third floor offered a booth on southeast flora and fauna and tree and shrub identification, to include giving away baby trees.

On the fourth and fifth floors, respectively, subject matter experts discussed AMC's environmental initiatives and renewable energy.

Jennifer Patterson, a general engineer, briefed air pollution on the sixth floor. Using a simple experiment, Patterson displayed the affects of automobile pollution.

With volunteers from the workforce, the Facilities and Environmental Division tested cars by placing a white sock on the tailpipe and leaving it on for 30 seconds prior to a cold start of the engine. The test showed visible signs of air pollution depending on how light or dark the tip of the sock became.

The division tested a hybrid, a BMW, a clunker, and a truck, among others. The results varied but it was a clear indication of those well-maintained vehicles.

"If my sock is dirty, it's an indication of the efficiency of how your car burns fuel," Summers said.

The clunker had a surprisingly clean sock, but the owner kept up with the car maintenance.

The truck's sock was clean also, but it ran off of diesel fuel. Additionally, it smelled worse than others, which is a reminder that air pollution isn't always visible.

"Air pollution is one of the single most ways we pollute as an individual," Summers continued.

For more helpful information on Home and Car efficiency, please see the related links to this article.

Related Links:

Fuel Economy Guide

Home Energy Projects