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Making our earth a better place

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Kali L. Gradishar
  • 92nd Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs
FAIRCHILD AIR FORCE BASE, Wash. --  How can you save on your garbage bill? One way is to simply recycle. Take a glance at all the things thrown into the garbage containers put out once a week to be collected. Just how much of that can be recycled into something useful?

Recycling doesn't have to be a time-consuming thing. It can take as long as bringing recyclable materials to the base Recycling Center, or it could just mean setting your recycling on the curb for the Recycling Center to pick it up on Wednesdays.

"Wednesdays are usually dedicated to curbside pickup, and on a weekly basis we usually see that about half of the residents in the housing areas recycle," said Bill Teuton, Recycling Center manager. But that doesn't include all the people who bring their recyclables to the center themselves.

"A lot of people bring the recycling to the center. Retirees, civilian employees, everybody that had access to the base also has access to every facility and every service that we have," he said.

Other than saving on the garbage bill, recycling also cuts down on other expenses and saves natural resources, landfill space and the environment.

For example, it takes 80 percent more energy to create a new aluminum can. Recycling a six-pack saves enough energy to drive a car five miles, and 14 PET containers, or plastic bottles, can make enough fiber to create an extra large T-shirt, said Mr. Teuton, throwing out facts from various sources, and noting that recycling is necessary to preserve our future.

"If we don't recycle now our children, grandchildren and great grandchildren will suffer for it," Mr. Teuton said. Additionally, recycling is a great money saver and money maker.

At the Recycling Center, recycled items are brought in and sorted into crates on the outside of the center. From there, the items are weighed, baled and set aside for shipment. Along with these duties, the center is also involved in other activities.

In June, the center was host to Michael Anderson Elementary School's recycling contest. Later in the month, they were recognized for their efforts by the Environmental and Occupational Health Compliance Assessment and Management Program.

The Recycling Center is dedicated to ensure the facility and services are managed well. By providing a service that produces funds, lowers costs and helps the environment, it's a win-win deal.