How to save the world

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Emerson Nuñez
  • 48th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
ROYAL AIR FORCE LAKENHEATH, England --  Americans recycled only 87 million of the 251 million tons of trash generated in 2012, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

The amount of garbage increases every year, making it easy to see how the distant, but not so unrealistic, future world from the movie WALL-E can come to pass.

Members of the 48th Civil Engineer Squadron who run the solid waste recycling program are doing their best to avoid a world filled with piles of garbage, by reducing how much goes into landfills and ensuring there's a place to properly dispose of recyclables.

"We are dedicated to being stewards of the environment," said Ashley Sadorra, 48th CES environmental element chief. "We want to make sure we protect the host nation's environment and protect the things we hold near and dear to our hearts. Everybody should. It's our future."

The recycling center's objectives include reducing the amount of waste that goes into landfills, putting money back into base morale projects and saving money.

"[The money] we make on recycling covers our operational cost," Sadorra said. "From there, 50 percent of the excess has to be spent on pollution prevention, energy saving initiatives for the base, and minor repair or construction for an environmental program. The other 50 percent is for morale and welfare, which is used for programs like energy awareness and reducing the base's energy bill."

The recycling center is able to collect and recycle a wide variety of items like paper, plastic, textiles, wood, cardboard, paper and metals. Despite the recycling center's best efforts, there are still obstacles bringing down the center's overall effectiveness.

Two of the main problems the center faces are illegal dumping, which costs the center an estimated $10,000 a month, and personnel failing to recycle qualified materials. The center prefers for furniture or big appliances, like refrigerators, be donated to the Airman's Attic. Or to be disposed of properly via the recycling center.

"Why throw it away when you could recycle it into something else or to someone who has a secondary use," said Nathan Campbell, 48th CES qualified recycling program manager. "Just because you are done with it, doesn't mean it's not good enough for someone else to use. We don't want to trash the world up, we want it preserved for future generations."