MacDill commits to serve through conservation

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Vernon L. Fowler Jr.
  • 6th Air Mobility Wing public affairs
MACDILL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. --  As a way to conserve natural resources and ensure the sustainability of the Air Force mission, Team MacDill has committed to the implementation of a Qualified Recycling Program, also known as Integrated Solid Waste Management.

The QRP is a Department of Defense initiative with a strategic mission to highlight the need for recycling awareness, while fostering a proactive culture of responsibility.

The primary mission of MacDill is to generate and execute air refueling, airlift and contingency response, while providing base support for joint, coalition and interagency partners.

However, MacDill also recognizes the secondary mission of conserving natural resources, protecting public health and being good stewards of the land entrusted to it by the citizens of the United States as an equally important responsibility.

"Like energy and water conservation, recycling is something that depends on every individual's contribution," said Eric Vichich, 6th Civil Engineering Squadron. "Your paper, bottles and cans may not seem like much, but last year they contributed to a total of more than four million pounds of material diverted from the landfill."

One of the driving factors behind the push to increase recycling awareness is Executive Order 13514, which calls for federal agencies to divert at least 50 percent of their non-hazardous solid waste by the end of fiscal year 2015. This means that everyone must recycle more than they throw away.

Currently MacDill sits around 44 percent, with a 2015 goal of 50 percent and a 2020 goal of 65 percent.

The city of Tampa has a curbside collection every Friday for military family housing with an acceptance of paper, cardboard, plastic, aluminum, metal, gable-top containers and glass. Also included in the collection are the single Airman dormitories.

"MacDill needs 100 percent participation and enforcement from all of its team members to make the QRP a success and to reach the required diversion rate," stated Vichich. "We need to continually promote a 'reduce, reuse, and recycle mentality.'"

To request recycling bins or receive more information about the QRP, please call Eric Vichich at 813-828-0460 or email eric.vichich.ctr@us.af.mil.