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Energy awareness, it’s in your hands

  • Published
  • By Capt. Joe Myhra
  • 62nd Civil Engineering Squadron
MCCHORD AIR FORCE BASE, Wash. --  Has anyone heard the joke, "How many Airman does it take to turn off a light bulb?" Or, more importantly, how many Airman turn off their lights, printers, copy machines, computers, monitors, coffee makers, fans, etc. when not in use? Think of your own unit for a second and you can probably see where this is going. 

As an employee of the United States Air Force, both military and civilian members operate in and around offices, warehouses, and hangars of all types in support of the mission. During this process, it is easy to forget about how much energy we consume on a day to day basis. 

For example, in FY07 the total utility bill for McChord AFB totaled over $6.9M (and that doesn't include aviation or ground fuels). Just think if we could reduce our energy consumption by only 3% this year, that would mean $200K could be spent elsewhere on either aircraft parts or a facility improvement, who knows! 

So, take the time to turn off that light switch on your way out the door. Cold weather getting to you? Throw on a sweater instead of reaching for the thermostat. 

As the Hon. Michael W. Wynne has said, "Make energy a consideration in all we do." Oh yeah, so how many Airmen does it take to turn off a light bulb?" Just one: you.