The Defense Logistics Agency has been making an effort to point out its support of green products in its combat support output. This is partly as a response to green technology demands by consumers and to recent pro-green legislation, such as the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act.
DLA environmental protection expert Karen Moran said recently that her agency “enhances its environmental stewardship by making more green product options available to customers.” Green products have the ability to “reduce health risks to consumers, conserve material resources, and lower the cost to own the product over its usable life,” she said.
Nearly 4,200 items in DLA's arsenal are coded green for adhering to environmentally strict standards. Re-refined oil is the most popular “green” item provided by the DLA. Moran also notes that the DLA sells millions of dollars worth of re-refined and recycled oil each year all over the world.
The DLA supplies combat support items to the Department of Defense, in the form of approximately 114,000 requisitions every day and over 2,000 contracts daily. Over 100,000 other green items are offered by the EMALL, via the DLA, and can be viewed at http://emall.dla.mil.
The Green Procurement Program has received accolades for its efforts. In 2000, the program earned the “Closing the Circle Award” by the Department of Defense, and it also won an “Environmental Security Award” bestowed by the Secretary of Defense.
The Energy Efficient Lighting Program is another green area to keep all eyes on, as fellow alternative energy supporters, including the Environmental Protection Agency, promote renewable energy usage and recycling. The EPA’s Energy Star program promotes the use of recycled goods, and the use of more green-friendly energy sources. According to the Energy Star program, the average qualified fluorescent light uses 75% less energy than incandescent fixtures, and can last for about nine years. That's about ten times longer than an incandescent bulb.
In 2007 alone, Americans saved more than $1 billion by using Energy Star-qualified compact fluorescent light bulbs. More than just money is at play. By switching up just one qualified bulb per house, Americans can save over $600 million, enough to recoup the energy required to light 3 million homes over the course of a year. Looked at another way, the energy savings would reduce greenhouse gas emissions by as much as removing 800,000 cars from U.S. roads.
Given the massive procurements that the Defense Logistics Agency is responsible for, it's good news that they are becoming greener. It can make a big difference.
Make that re-refined
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