JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-RANDOLPH —
Representatives from Joint Base San Antonio joined environmental
organizations, academic institutions and businesses on the list of exhibitors at
Earth Day Texas 2016 in Dallas April 22-24.
Earth Day Texas is an annual event that supports
environmental conservation and education. With over 700 exhibitors, the event
covers every major environmental issue and several geographic locations
worldwide. This is the first year JBSA has participated since the event started
in 2011.
Meg Reyes, director of JBSA installation encroachment and
compatible development, Lt. Col. Emil Bliss, 12th Flying Training
Wing Community Initiatives director, Bryan Hummel, JBSA pollution prevention manager
and aquifer recharge specialist, Amber Lamm, JBSA community planner, and Monte
Cox, a contracted community planning liaison, spoke with Earth Day attendees
about JBSA’s sustainability and the different ways each location is becoming
more environmentally-conscious.
The group presented data from Air Installation Compatible
Use Zone, Joint Land Use and similar studies at each JBSA location to show how each
area’s recent developments affect the local environment and the ability to
continue the military mission.
“Not only does being here allow us to educate people on how
JBSA cares for the environment, but it’s also a chance to meet other
organizations with overlapping goals,” Bliss said. “Development around San
Antonio has the potential to impact both the environment and the military
missions at every JBSA location. Working
with conservation groups is a win-win situation: preservation of the military
mission, and more importantly in the long term, preservation of the
environment.”
2016 is the second year military organizations significantly
participated in Earth Day Texas. Attendees appreciate seeing the military
taking strides towards sustainability. Their presence strongly resonates with
people, said Jillian Mock, an Earth Day Texas communications associate.
“Large problems, like environmental issues, require large
scale problem solving. Therefore, we all must be responsible for our environment.
We are all stewards,” Mock said.