Base Recycling Program Saves Enough Oil to Drive to Moon Multiple Times

  • Published
  • By Senior Airmen Anthony Agosti
  • 118th Wing
Nashville, Tenn. --  The 118th Wing took great strides in protecting the local environment with eye-popping numbers from its recycling program.

Based on a report from Jil Norman, the state environmental officer for the 118th Civil Engineering Squadron, the 118th Wing recycling program has recycled nine tons of cardboard and mixed paper, and saved over 43,000 gallons of crude oil in 2017.

Broken down further these numbers equate to approximately 2.3 million sheets of paper, and enough fuel for a Toyota Camry to drive the distance from Earth to the moon three times.

“Everyone is doing a real good job when it comes to recycling,” said Ray Jones, the operations and maintenance superintendent for the 118th CES. “Filling up the dumpsters every month.”

The 118th Wing also recycled over seven tons of metal, enough to build almost 12 Fiat 500’s. The recycled metal also provided an additional financial incentive to the program.

“We do receive funds for the metals, that’s what helps to fund the recycling program,” said Norman. “The funds for metals pays for other recycling that we do.”

While the wing has done well overall, there is still room for improving recycling numbers in other areas, especially with plastic bottles.

“Getting new water fountains on base have helped with less bottles going out,” said Norman. “But there is still a lot of bottles not being recycled.”

For the upcoming fiscal year, Norman wants to place a big focus on both plastic recycling and water conservation.

“Our water fountains have counters; I want to use that data to educate how much water and energy have been saved since their installation,” said Norman. “It will be quite an eye opener to many people.”