White in the winter; Green all year round

Senior Airman Mary O'Dell
92nd Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs

4/15/2013 - FAIRCHILD AIR FORCE BASE, Wash. -- Team Fairchild has been a leader in energy conservation and environmental restoration; garnering both the Air Force Reduced Energy Appreciation Program (REAP) award and the Air Mobility Command Energy Incentive Award within the past year.

Fairchild also recently received the 2012 Air Force General Thomas D. White Outstanding Environmental Restoration Award recognizing innovation and community outreach efforts.

"There are many ways this base contributes to a more "green" environment," said Kristin Nester, 92nd Civil Engineer squadron installation management flight chief. "While we have outstanding program managers working together to lead the charge, it takes the support of leadership and every member of Team Fairchild for these programs to be successful."

Through the Environmental Restoration Program, Fairchild continues to investigate and cleanup historical releases of hazardous materials to the environment in protection of human health and the environment dating back to when the base was first established.

"Restoration Program contracts and projects are designed to promote optimization, sustainable design, and accelerated cleanup," said Danielle Adams, 92nd CE remedial project manager. "Our ultimate goal is to return any contaminated land back to use for potential new development as quickly as possible."

Along with base restoration, the 92nd CES and Contracting Squadrons teamed up to develop a Green Procurement Plan, supporting the purchase of environmentally preferable products and services.

This year, the Arbor Day tree planting celebration will take place April 26 at 12:30 p.m. and in celebration of Earth Day, 92nd CE Environmental Element and Balfour Beatty Communities are sponsoring lunch and Earth Day activities, open to spouses and dependents of all ages on April 22, from 11:00 a.m. until 1 p.m.

"Every year on Arbor Day, we plant new trees on base in a different location," said Mr. Steve Selser, 92nd CES natural and cultural resources manager. "This year we will be planting five blue spruce trees near the new Wing headquarters building site."

During this celebration, the community Forrester presents a plaque to the base while students from Michael Anderson Elementary School, along with the Wing commander, come out to help with the tree planting.

"This will be the 19th year Fairchild has been a Tree City USA, being one of the oldest in the area," said Selser. "Over the course of about 20 years, a variety of over 2,500 trees have been planted on Fairchild."

Communities achieve Tree City USA status by meeting four core standards of sound urban forestry management, these include:

· Maintaining a tree board or department

· Having a community tree ordinance

· Spending at least $2 per capita on urban forestry

· Celebrating Arbor Day

"Being involved in both Arbor Day and Earth Day is an important reminder of the bigger picture we are a part of," said Nester.