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Fairchild environmental programs win governors award

  • Published
FAIRCHILD AIR FORCE BASE, Wash. --   Fairchilds environmental programs were recognized by the Washington Department of Ecology Oct. 7.

The base was one of seven organizations, and the only federal installation, awarded the 2004 Governors Award for Pollution Prevention and Sustainable Practices.

The governor of Washington presents the annual award that to organizations and businesses that have shown outstanding leadership in preventing pollution and moving towards sustainability while accomplishing their own objectives.

The award was presented Oct. 7 in Lacey, Wash., by Tom Fitzsimmons, chief of staff for Governor Gary Locke. Col. Douglas Jackson, commander, 92nd Mission Support Group, and a group of nine other members of Team Fairchild accepted the award.

Fairchild was also recognized at a ceremony at the Davenport Hotel in Spokane Oct. 12.

Winning the award truly was a team effort, said Lt. Col. Salman Nodjomian, commander, 92nd Civil Engineer Squadron. This is not just a civil engineering function, said the colonel. It is a Team Fairchild responsibility.

Small things really make a difference, from turning off computer monitors at the end of the day to recycling and buying recycled products, said Diane Wulf, pollution prevention program manager, 92nd CES.

Many people dont realize how environmentally savvy the military is.

Awards like this also let people on the outside of the fence know how we focus on the environment, said Colonel Nodjomian. People came up to me (at the award presentation) and said thank you. They didnt realize that the Air Force was on the forefront of environmental leadership.

The ecology department recognized this with the second governors award for the base.

One of the reviewers said I see [Fairchild] as the leader in the way they examine their problems, create bold solutions and achieve results in excess of those they expect or that others achieve. They are consistently among the leaders in innovation and results.

Changes made to hangar 2050 in the last couple of years are one example of conservation and prevention efforts at Fairchild. Replacing the original 1940s light fixtures with innovative light pipe technology improved lighting and cut electricity consumption in half. The light controllers were reprogrammed to minimize the time the lights are on when not needed. Radiant heat systems were also installed which resulted in a 42 percent energy savings. Weather stripping and automatic drive thru doors were installed, making hangar 2050 a more efficient and a better place to work.

There is a continuing effort to make the keep the base a leader in pollution prevention and energy conservation and to make environmental programs an integrated part of Fairchilds mission, said Ms. Wulf.

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