Photo By Shelby West | Recently, Norfolk Naval Shipyard (NNSY) and Naval Support Activity Portsmouth (NSAP)...... read more read more
Recently, Norfolk Naval Shipyard (NNSY) and Naval Support Activity Portsmouth (NSAP) combined their Earth Day events into a series of community engagements across the installation and shipyard to make a broader impact on the workforce.
“The initiative included a book reading for children at the New Gosport Childhood Development Center (CDC), a small, organized trash pick-up in a parking lot, and informational tables at three high-traffic locations: the Mini Mart Navy Exchange (NEX), the Scott Center Annex Commissary, and Trophy Park,” said NNSY Code 106.31 Engineering and Compliance Clean Water Act Program Manager Nicole Lawrence. “The information tables educated military and civilian staff on our environmental (EV) programs, solid waste, and recycling efforts, reinforcing the shipyard's commitment to a sustainable and environmentally responsible culture.”
Lawrence continued, “People were very interested in learning fun facts about the EV: the water program, solid waste, recycling, hazardous waste and historical trivia about the shipyard, cultural resources and loved winning a plant to take home. We also had a ‘name our shipyard rescue pigeon,’ Sir Bird III was the chosen name!”
The Earth Day events offered an opportunity to educate the workforce on how daily operational tasks, such as waste management, contribute to the installation and tenants’ readiness and resilience. Civilians and Sailors were also educated on the U.S. Navy’s Qualified Recycling program and its benefits.
“The U.S. Navy’s recycling program turns waste into revenue that improves life on bases, while simultaneously strengthening national security and protecting the environment,” said Naval Facilities Engineering Command (NAVFAC) Integrated Solid Waste Operations Manager Theresa (Teri) Arnold.
NSAP and NNSY are both benefiting from this program.
“Several projects on the base are being funded by QRP money and the two I know of include a Bioswale (shallow channel used to move and treat stormwater runoff) near the Chapel and then the removal of dead trees in danger of falling over on the main shipyard,” said NSAP Natural Resources Manager Lindsay Dierks.
Educating the workforce on being good environmental stewards contributes to a safer working environment across the installation.
“The more people we educate about our programs, the more resilient we become as an installation, being proactive instead of reactive,” said Lawrence.
The Earth Day events and activities successfully educated the workforce on how employees play a vital role in recycling and natural resources management.
“Overall, I believe it was a good week, and the goal was to reach a variety of workers across the installation and shipyard, and I think we were able to do that in addition to reading with the kids at the CDC – which we plan to do again next year,” said Dierks. “I think we can only improve and hopefully have more people excited to get involved next year!”
| Date Taken: | 06.01.2026 |
| Date Posted: | 06.01.2026 14:26 |
| Story ID: | 566588 |
| Location: | PORTSMOUTH, VIRGINIA, US |
| Web Views: | 19 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Norfolk Naval Shipyard and Naval Support Activity Portsmouth Support Command and Assist Community with Environmental Stewardship, by Susanne Greene, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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