14 DAY TRIAL // At times when landfills in the US are overcrowded, authorities do everything in their power to curb the enormous amount of waste generated on an annual basis
In this general movement, Fort Hood plans to take its sustainable goals to a whole other level, by committing to send zero grams of waste to landfills by 2020 on its own, without asking for extra funds or governmental support to back this initiative. This means that approximately 20,000 tons of waste would have to vanish into thin air every year.
The same strategy is adopted by The City of Austin, hoping to follow the same path by 2030. In order to accomplish this ambitious task, representatives from the City of Austin have thought about all kinds of methods: from standard recycling operations to composting and even garage sales, to turn trash into cash.
Authorities want to preserve their tight budget while also improving the mentality of up to 100,000 soldiers from Fort Hood. Environmentally friendly strategies are always welcomed, especially when they come along with financial stimulants.
After handling 10 tons of paper, aluminum and plastic, Fort Hood's recycling plant managed to put $1.7 million (€1.34m) on the table, enough to convince even the skeptics trash disposal has to become more earth-friendly.
A zero-waste plan could bring a lot of profit, while also triggering huge savings. At the same time, it would be doubled by other green goals, like water and energy preservation.
Fort Hood plans to produce its own energy on-site, to become less dependent to the grid. All in all, the recently announced path has brought the Army post under the spotlight, on a national level, being praised both by authorities and conservationists.
"In the last two or three years the military has gotten the message that what's good for the environment is good for the taxpayer and good for the soldier.The military has often given us things we learn to use in daily life. We ought to pay attention because there may be lessons we can learn to adapt,” explained Jim Marston, head of the Environmental Defense Fund's Texas office.
Recycling rates have increased significantly, all across the Globe, and continue to grow, as environmental awareness and smart business sense are making people and companies waste less and reuse more.