Friday April 19, 2013
What is it?
Earth Day was first celebrated on April 22, 1970. It complements Arbor Day as the national holiday. The campaign for Earth Day began as a grassroots effort to teach about environmental stewardship, create an awareness of the environment’s fragility, and ultimately, develop awareness into American society. The campaign caught on quickly and evolved into what is now celebrated as Earth Day each April 22.
What has the Army done?
The U.S. Army celebrates Earth Day at approximately 200 installations, major commands and organizations in the continental United States and around the world. The Army’s Earth Day theme,Sustain the Mission. Secure the Future, reflects the Army’s commitment to meet the current and future needs of Soldiers, their families, and the nation through the sound stewardship of environmental resources.
Army stewardship includes: acknowledging the past by restoring Army lands to useable condition and preserving cultural and historical resources; engaging the present by meeting environmental standards, enabling operations, and protecting Soldiers, families and communities, and, charting the future by institutionalizing best practices and use of technology to ensure future environmental resiliency.
Why is this important to the Army?
The Army’s Strategy for the Environment acknowledges the interdependence among the requirements of the military mission, the natural environment, and community well-being. Environmental stewardship is a mission enhancer. It leads to better training lands, improved recreational opportunities, healthier communities, and new partnerships. Environmental sustainability is now part of every installation’s and unit’s operations, from munitions production to live-fire training, from our housing areas to our forward operating bases.
What continued efforts does the Army have planned for the future?
The Army’s observance of Earth Day provides an opportunity to engage, get hands dirty and enhance the interdependence of the military’s mission with the natural environment and the well-being of the communities.
On Earth Day, the Army reminds the Soldiers that environmental sustainability is everyone’s responsibility. Soldiers should consider their “boot print” – their impact on the resources, whether on an installation, deployed, or at home. The Army’s goal is to conserve and preserve while it serves. By sustaining the environment together for charting the future to ensure Army Green is Army Strong for generations to come.
Resources:
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