MCENTIRE JOINT NATIONAL GUARD BASE, S.C., --
"To remain the best Air Force on the planet, we need to use our resources as productively as possible. With more than 660,000 active-duty, National Guard, Reserve and civilian Airmen, a little bit from each of us can really become something very, very significant." -Secretary of the Air Force, Deborah Lee James
When considering how we do business at McEntire Joint National Guard Base in particular, and in the Air National Guard as a whole, we need to consider some "Key Messages, Facts and Figures" from the USAF:
"The Air Force values and respects the natural resources placed in our trust; this is the environment where we live, train and work. In order to take care of business, we must take care of where we do business. Sustainability is important to ensure we have, and will continue to have, the water, materials and resources to protect human health and our environment. Effective natural resource management allows the Air Force to save money, reduce risk and ensure its availability to support Air Force operations to "fly, fight, and win" now and in the future. Every Airman must protect and conserve these natural resources for the benefit of present and future mission requirements, and for the benefit of present and future generations. What we do today has an effect - what we do today sustains our future. We want to leave a lasting legacy without leaving a lasting footprint. Natural resources are limited and we must use them wisely - everyone must be on the lookout for ways to reduce energy and water consumption and prevent waste in day-to-day operations."
What is the base doing to improve data center energy efficiency in agency facilities? According to our Civil Engineering Squadron, under the Presidents Executive Order 13693 - Planning for Federal Sustainability in the Next Decade:
"Ensuring the agency chief information officer promotes data center energy optimization, efficiency and performance, installing and monitoring advanced energy meters in all data centers by fiscal year 2018.
Federal Agencies shall, where life-cycle cost-effective, beginning in fiscal year 2016, unless otherwise specified, ensure that at a minimum, the following percentage of the total amount of building electric energy and thermal energy shall be clean energy, accounted for by renewable electric energy and alternative energy:
- not less than 10 percent in fiscal years 2016 and 2017;
- not less than 13 percent in fiscal years 2018 and 2019;
- not less than 16 percent in fiscal years 2020 and 2021;
- not less than 20 percent in fiscal years 2022 and 2023; and
- not less than 25 percent by fiscal year 2025 and each year thereafter."
So, what can you do to help McEntire be a good steward of our resources? It costs around two million dollars a year to "keep the lights on" at McEntire. A good starting point would be to consider our resources as money! Electricity, water, heating, air conditioning and waste are resources that cost, or can save money. Here are some examples of how we can save money.
- Turn things off when you are not in the room such as lights and TV's.
- Make sure your computer monitor is turned off after you leave work and unplug any appliances at the end of the day.
- Recycle all paper, cans and bottles.
The money we save has a direct effect on our civilian manpower and their ability to efficiently maintain our facilities, which helps us all to accomplish the mission!