Sheppard celebrates Earth Day 2014

Published April 16, 2014
82nd Civil Engineering Squadron

SHEPPARD AIR FORCE BASE, Texas -- Earth Day is April 22 and this year's Air Force theme is "Conserve Today-Secure Tomorrow."

At Sheppard Air Force Base, Texas, Airmen are already hard at work to bring awareness and environmental sustainability to the surrounding community of Wichita Falls.

Events before and during Earth Day are being spearheaded by the 82nd Civil Engineering Squadron.

For the third year in a row, The 82nd CES coordinated with the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service in an Earth Day event called "Generation Green."

Generation Green is an educational event where third graders from the surrounding elementary schools go on a field trip to the Multi Purpose Events Center downtown to learn about recycling, wildlife, plants, the effects of pollution and ways to make the earth a better place to live. This is the fifth year for the program and was attended by 367 students April 8, 2014.

This year, Leslie Peña, natural resource manager, and Greg Mitchell, air and hazardous waste manager, gave a presentation on the "Reduce, Reuse and Recycle" campaign. The importance of reducing waste and recycling was discussed to help reduce landfill growth.

Students were also shown different products made from recycled materials. The environmental staff was able to provide every student with recycled pencils made from tires or money, stickers on the importance of saving water, bookmarks and a water wheel to help determine what not to place down the drains.

On Earth Day itself, there will be a clean-up at Lake Texoma to encourage conservation and sustainable resources for all.

For more info please call Leslie Pena at 676-7481