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March Earth Day organizers Gerald Haas, left, Paul Pitman, third from left, and Carroll Hale, second from right, joke with the California Wilderness Coalition's Marisa Calderon, second from right, and Mark Starr from the Vet Voice Foundation. (U.S. Air Force photo by Megan Just)

Photo by Megan Just

Earth Day Fair inspires action

4 May 2010 | Megan Just

The 452nd Environmental Management Office held its second annual March Air Reserve Base Earth Day Fair, April 22, commemorating the 40th anniversary of the founding of Earth Day. Despite an overwhelming work load in preparation for the Environmental, Safety and Occupational Health Compliance Assessment held earlier this month, the Environmental Office staff continued to plan the event.

"Sometimes, we're looked at as a small Reserve base, but we are actually a very large base and the cumulative effect of what one person does, magnified over the thousands of people who work here, is really substantial," said Carroll Hale, chairman of the Earth Day committee.

The Environmental Office is always looking for ways to educate Team March members about the conservation issues March faces and the contributions individuals can make. In 2009, instead of holding lecture-style training as a means to educate, they decided to host an interactive fair to coincide with Earth Day.

"We looked at Earth Day as being a good opportunity. It's a day already set aside where the intent is to promulgate this type of thinking. It seemed to be a perfect fit," Hale said.

Sen. Gaylord Nelson, a former Army lieutenant, worked to establish Earth Day as a forum for Americans to show their support for a clean environment. He succeeded and the first Earth Day was held on April 22, 1970.

President Richard Nixon and the U.S. Congress created the Environmental Protection Agency in July of the same year, with the passing of the Clean Air, Clean Water and Endangered Species Acts shortly on its heels. Today, Earth Day continues to grow and is celebrated by hundreds of millions of people in countries all over the world.

At the March Earth Day Fair, Hale and the other members of the Environmental Office distributed literature about the simple things Team March members can do to conserve energy and water on base.

"If you have a leaky faucet, report it. Don't let the water run too long. If you see something that's not right, like a sprinkler spraying onto the sidewalks, it needs to be brought to the attention of SSI or the BOS contractor so they can get it fixed," said Hale.

Hale, who is the base hazardous waste and recycling program manager, also spoke of the importance of recycling. With the implementation of a new level of housekeeping service contract in the near future, Hale hopes to see a drastic decrease in the amount of trash the base creates.

"Most of the materials that we use on a daily basis are recyclable. Really, the only things that can't be recycled are Styrofoam, tissues and anything that's really gooey or sticky," said Hale. "Take the big trash can in your office and make it a little one and take your little recycling bin and make it a big recycling bin."

Among the exhibitors at the fair were Waste Management with a garbage truck that runs on natural gas and representatives from Moss Brothers who brought two brand-new hybrid vehicles, a Toyota Prius and a Honda Insight.

"The Prius is completely opposite of a traditional car in terms of gas mileage. In a traditional car, you get 21 mpg city and 28 mpg highway; in a Prius, you'll get 51 mpg city and 48 mpg highway," said Shandell Winderl, Internet Manager at Moss Brothers.

Winderl demonstrated the use of a remote smart key that activates two pop-up solar panels on the roof of the Prius from a distance. By the time the car owner reaches their car, the panels can cool the interior of the vehicle 10 to 15 degrees.

VPSI and Enterprise, two companies that rent vans to corporate vanpool programs, also hosted exhibits at the fair. Paul Pitman, air program manager, said the vanpool program at March continues to grow, with a 17th vanpool expected to begin May 15. There are also two new vans serving aircraft maintainers who work swing shifts.

Pitman said his last shipment of vanpool vouchers totaled $61,000. With that amount of money in vouchers, most vanpoolers at March have no out-of-pocket costs for their cost of transportation to and from work.

Marisa Calderon, sister of Master Sgt. Monica Hegardt of the 452nd Aerospace Medicine Squadron, was at the Earth Day Fair representing the California Wilderness Coalition. Her organization is a state-based nonprofit organization that protects natural desert landscapes. The Coalition also offers free educational hikes and outings which enable the public to experience local deserts firsthand.

"We have some of the most pristine and breathtaking desert landscape in the world here. It is impressive because of its recreation value, because of the spiritual solace and the biological diversity," Calderon said.

Sharing a booth with Calderon was Mark Starr, program director for the Vet Voice Foundation, a grassroots organization that encourages veterans to become active in their community. Starr is a former Army Soldier and a recipient of a Purple Heart.

Starr and his organization work closely with the California Wilderness Coalition to support the California Desert Protection Act of 2010, a bill Starr says would have a positive economic impact in the region.

"Traditionally, as veterans, we have been taught to stay out of political issues. From the moment you left for basic training, you learned how to utilize the chain of command and learned how to take orders. You don't learn how to become an activist, " Starr said. "That's a scary word for some people in the veterans community, but it's important, regardless of someone's beliefs, that they become more engaged in their communities."

Each of the more than 200 Team March members who visited the Earth Day Fair received a free, customized, March Air Reserve Base reusable grocery bag made from 100% recycled materials.

Carroll, who is already making plans for the next Earth Day Fair, hopes to see even more exhibitors and guests at the 2011 fair.
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