Recycling for a better world Published Nov. 30, 2011 By Airman 1st Class Jose L. Hernandez Minot Air Force Base Public Affairs MINOT AIR FORCE BASE, N.D. -- The country's push for environmental awareness is driven now more than ever with the idea that what is done today will affect those tomorrow. The Air Force has not fallen behind in the effort to educate the public on the importance of waste management, having recently established the Win the War Against Waste Program. The plan is designed to help educate Airmen, civilian employees and family members on the importance of solid waste management on their installations and encourage their personal involvement through reduction, reuse and recycling. Joey Specht, 5th Civil Engineer Squadron environmental engineer, explained the environmental and economic benefit recycling has on the country and how each person can have a positive impact in the long-run. "Recycling creates new businesses that haul, process, and broker recovered materials, as well as companies that manufacture and distribute products made with recycled materials," Specht said. Recycling also contributes to a growing labor force including materials sorters, dispatchers, truck drivers, brokers, sales representatives, process engineers, and chemists, said Specht. "These jobs generally pay above the average national wage," said Specht. Another benefit of recycling is its ability to forestall the need for new disposal facilities as every cubic yard of material recycled is one less cubic yard of landfill space required. "Material not diverted from landfills due to recycling and composting would increase demand for more landfills," said Specht. He cited a study in 1996 which found 130 million cubic yards of material were diverted from landfills due to recycling and composting. If this amount of material had not been recycled, the U.S. would have needed 64 additional landfills to meet the demand. Specht explained other benefits of recycling include decreased energy requirements to produce products from recycled materials as opposed to using raw materials, decreased emissions of greenhouse gases, and the conservation of natural resources such as timber, water and minerals. "If every American recycled just one-tenth of their newspapers, we would save approximately 25 million trees a year," Specht said. "Recycling can help sustain the environment for future generations." The latest study conducted by the Environmental Protection Agency shows that Americans generate, on average, approximately four pounds of waste per day and recycle roughly one and a half pounds of it. "A typical American family consumes, on average, 182 gallons of soda, 29 gallons of juice, 104 gallons of milk, and 26 gallons of bottled water a year," said Specht. "Families can take a few moments to plan what they will commit to recycle." Currently, Minot AFB residents may recycle their cardboard and paper at recycling dumpsters found in the Exchange parking lot and across from the 5th CES Building 525. "Plastic items, glass, aluminum and tin (steel) cans are left to base residents to take downtown for recycling," said Specht. "The Auto Hobby Shop accepts used oil, anti-freeze, oil and fuel filters." While the base's waste management programs, alongside its counterparts all around the country, continue recycling efforts, it's ultimately up to each individual to do their part to achieve overall success.