Air Force blue will sport some green during Pollution Prevention Week Published Sept. 15, 2008 By Patti Kumazawa Environmental Management Directorate EDWARDS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. - -- Air Force blue will sport some green here next week when Environmental Management sponsors three events to promote Pollution Prevention Week, Sept. 22-28. Pollution Prevention week is a nationwide celebration to encourage people to protect the environment through smarter use of resources and understanding ways they can help reduce negative impacts. The base environmental staff is coordinating a Pollution Prevention Expo at the Oasis Community Center Sept. 24 from 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. This expo will provide attendees with demonstrations and a series of workshops on solar energy, electronics management, buying green, and showing ways government and business are working together to prevent pollution. A new topic will be presented every 30 minutes. Electric vehicles also will be available to test drive. "Reduce, reuse, and recycle are all valuable concepts," said Layi Oyelowo, base pollution prevention manager. "But rethinking how we do business is crucial to Edwards' ability to support the Air Force mission in the future." "The expo brings industries together with the government to share ideas about preventing pollution," Oyelowo said. "In the past, we've concentrated on the efforts of individual shops, but rethinking pollution prevention efforts requires effective leadership and more of a strategic, collective effort." Attendees will come away with a greater understanding of sustainable efforts and ideas for complying with Executive Order 13423, Strengthening Federal Environmental, Energy, and Transportation Management, Oyelowo said. The expo is open to everyone. Environmental staff also will present an assembly at Branch Elementary School to teach students the importance of recycling any material that can be recycled. Finally, Environmental Management is hosting a Household Hazardous Waste and Universal Waste Roundup Saturday, Sept. 27. This event is at the Base Exchange, 310 Fitz-Gerald Blvd., from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Base residents can drive up and drop off household hazardous waste, electronic and universal waste for free. Household hazardous waste includes yard chemicals, cleaning supplies, paint and automotive products. Electronic waste includes non-working electronic devices like televisions, appliances, computers, telephones and cell phones. Universal waste includes dead batteries, fluorescent tubes, aerosol cans and mercury-containing items like thermostats. None of these items should ever be put into the trash. Environmental Management cannot accept waste from off-base residents at this event. For more information on any of these events, please contact Environmental Management at 277-1401. Sept. 24 Pollution Prevention Expo workshop schedule: 9:30 a.m. - Overview of how the Air Force is going green, presented by the Air Force Center for Engineering and the Environment 10:00 a.m. - Antelope Valley Integrated Regional Water Plan and other water issues affecting Edwards, presented by the L.A. County Sanitation District and Antelope Valley East Kern Water Agency 10:30 a.m. - Living a sustainable life at home and work, presented by Environmental Management 11:00 a.m. - Turning human wastewater into hydrogen vehicle fuel, presented by Fuel Cell Energy, Inc. 11:30 a.m. - Environmental Management System and alternative energy initiatives at Edwards, presented by Environmental Management and Civil Engineering 12:00 p.m. - National Program for Environmental Priorities including the bullet trap concept for collecting expended bullets, presented by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency 12:30 p.m. - Federal Electronics Challenge and how Edwards could win a Silver award in 2009, presented by the U.S. EPA 1:00 p.m. - Ways to make energy with sunshine, presented by Southern California Edison 1:30 p.m. - How to buy 'green' with the Edwards procurement purchase plan, presented by Environmental Management