GUANTANAMO BAY, Cuba - Every action has potential positive or negative consequences. Sometimes people do not realize the consequences their actions may have on themselves, others or the environment. This is especially true when discarding plastics, metals and other recyclables at U.S. Naval Station Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. Some Joint Task Force Guantanamo troopers may not think twice about what happens to a plastic bottle after they are done, or worry bout a soup can after they have enjoyed their meal; but what happens to these objects affects all of GTMO.
Once an item is thrown away, it is taken to the landfill where it is most likely going to get burned, said Army Lt. Col. Khalid Chaudhry, the officer in charge of preventative medicine for JTF GTMO. Service members need to know why it is important to keep recyclables from being burned. Plastics produce byproducts that are harmful to humans when inhaled.
To combat this persistent problem, steps have been taken to enhance the recycling program here.
The NAVSTA Public Works Department has purchased more than $55,000 of recycling containers to place around the JTF and NAVSTA, said David Balog, the environmental protection specialist with the NAVSTA PWD.
“We are doing what we can and now we are trying to do more,” said Balog.
In addition to purchasing containers, recycling education and awareness are being promoted by employees with the PWD and JTF’s preventative medicine. Chaudhry, an environmental scientist with the 744th Military Police Battalion, has taken the initiative to disseminate information throughout the command.
Education is a key component of an effective program, said Chaudhry, who added that plans to brief service members about the recycling program at GTMO’s Newcomer’s brief are in the works.
JTF’s senior leadership is also involved in promoting awareness of the recycling program.
“We recognize excellence every week by motivator of the week, maybe we can create some kind of recycling incentive,” said Army Command Sgt. Maj. David Carr, the senior enlisted leader for the JTF. “Anything to encourage the program. By virtue of their positions in the military most people are very competitive, so I think if we had a reward system based on unit vs. unit, that would be a very smart thing to do. Service members like to win.”
The Navy Exchange also offers incentives for recycling. When customers use a reusable bag they are given five cents off of their purchase for each bag. Balog also said he would be willing to give service members a tour of the recycling plant and landfill in order to educate them and show them the problems and efforts associated with recycling here.
Carr said he has faith in service members and he knows they can make a difference.
“Recycling is one small thing we can do to extend the life of earth,” said Carr. “We only have one earth and we have to protect that. Every single one of us needs to do their small part.”
Choosing whether or not to recycle affects everyone, so think before you throw something away.
For more information or to find out how you can help enhance the recycling program, contact Balog at David.Balog@gtmo.navy.mil.
| Date Taken: |
12.22.2015 |
| Date Posted: |
03.01.2016 10:44 |
| Story ID: |
190627 |
| Location: |
GUANTANAMO BAY, CU |
| Web Views: |
91 |
| Downloads: |
0 |
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This work, Busting the myth: Enhancing recycling, by SPC Justin Malone, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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