Making small efforts daily can save environment for future generations Published April 20, 2009 By Debbie Aragon 55th Wing Public Affairs OFFUTT AIR FORCE BASE Neb. -- It could be something as simple as turning off a light when you leave a room or scraping rather than rinsing dishes before loading the dishwasher. It could be something larger like making sure your home is fully insulated or "Going Green" through building or leasing environmentally sound buildings. Regardless of the actions people take, everyone must take action at home and at work if we are to save the environment for future generations, according to Mike Kemp, 55th Civil Engineering Squadron Environmental Management Flight chief. And Earth Day, April 22, is perhaps the perfect time to remind people - young and old - of their responsibilities as residents of our planet, he added. "As soon as children can understand what they are saying and doing - that's the perfect time to teach them to consider their actions and what effects they have on the environment," Mr. Kemp said. "Small children can learn the basics, and as they grow they can learn more." One of the best ways for children to learn how to care for the environment is by the example set by adults, especially parents, according to Mr. Kemp. For example, one person's small action of recycling a soda can at work may not look like much, he said, "but if you look at the effect over time it is sizeable. And, if you look at your impact or influence over children or younger troops, it should make you stop, think and do the right thing," he said. The home is a good place for people to bring their efforts toward becoming environmentally friendly, according to Mr. Kemp. Here are a few environmental facts followed by actions that can help the environment: * Americans generate an average of 4.5 pounds of garbage a day. With a population of 300 million, that's more than 1.35 billion pounds of trash a day. Recycling one aluminum can saves enough energy to run a television set for three hours. Additionally, recycled aluminum reduces pollution by 95 percent over using virgin aluminum. * Americans use about seven times as much energy per person than people in some other countries. Turn off appliances and lights when leaving a room. Instead of an oven, use a microwave to cook small meals, since it uses less power. Cut back on air conditioning and heating use and make sure your home, water heater and pipes are well insulated. Making sure your attic is insulated correctly can save up to 20 percent of energy loss. * The average bath uses 50 gallons of water. Taking a shower uses a mere two gallons of water per minute. If you leave the water running while shaving or brushing your teeth you're using less than a gallon of water, but you'll waste between five and 15 gallons of water if you don't turn off the faucet during the process. * Americans use 50 million tons of paper annually - which consumes more than 850 million trees. When cleaning out files or disposing of newspapers, recycle them. When buying products, look for recycled paper and keep the recycling process going. Every ton of recycled office paper saves 380 gallons of oil used to process virgin paper. * Remember, every trip made in a car adds to air pollution. On average, the 140 million cars in America are estimated to travel almost four billion miles per day, using more than 200 million gallons of gasoline. This creates about 45 percent of the world's air pollution. Why not start a carpool or walk, bike or use mass transportation instead of driving? (Information courtesy of www.earthday.gov and the 55th Civil Engineering Squadron) We've come a long way baby ... don't stop now (Information courtesy of the EPA) The year was 1970. Rivers were catching fire and cities were hidden under dense clouds of smog. It's also the year 20 million people celebrated the first Earth Day and President Richard Nixon created the Environmental Protection Agency, with a mission of protecting the environment and public health. It's now 2009 and remarkable progress has been made in protecting human health and safeguarding the natural environment. Here's a timeline showing the steps the United States has taken to clean up and protect the earth, and those who inhabit it. The 1970s 1970 - Congress amends the Clean Air Act to set national air quality, auto emission and anti-pollution standards. 1971 - Congress restricts the use of lead-based paint in homes, on cribs and toys. 1972 - The EPA bans DDT, a cancer-causing pesticide, and requires an extensive review of all pesticides. Also this year, Congress passes the Clean Water Act, limiting raw sewage and other pollutants from flowing into rivers, lakes and streams. 1974 - Congress passes the Safe Drinking Water Act, allowing the EPA to regulate the quality of public drinking water. 1976 - Congress passes the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, regulating hazardous waste from its production to its disposal. Also this year, President Gerald Ford signs the Toxic Substances Control Act to reduce environmental and human health risks, and the EPA begins phase-out of cancer-causing PCB production and use. 1978 - The federal government bans chlorofluorocarbons, or CFCs, as propellants in aerosol cans because CFCs destroy the ozone layer, which protects the earth from harmful ultraviolet radiation. Also this year, residents discover that Love Canal, New York, is contaminated by buried leaking chemical containers. The 1980s 1980 - Congress creates Superfund to clean up hazardous waste sites. Polluters are made responsible for cleaning up the most hazardous sites. 1982 - Congress enacts laws for the safe disposal of nuclear waste. Also this year, Dioxin contamination forces the government to purchase homes in Times Beach, Mo. The government and the responsible polluters share the cleanup costs. 1983 - The EPA encourages homeowners to test for radon gas, which causes lung cancer. To date, more than 18 million homes have been tested for radon. Approximately 575 lives are saved each year due to radon mitigation and new radon-resistant construction. 1985 - Scientists report a giant hole in the earth's ozone layer that opens each spring over Antarctica. 1986 - Congress declares the public has a right to know when toxic chemicals are released into air, land and water. 1988 - Congress bans ocean dumping of sewage sludge and industrial waste. A year earlier, medical and other waste washed up on the shores of New York and New Jersey, closing beaches. 1989 - Exxon Valdez spills 11 million gallons of crude oil in Alaska's Prince William Sound. The 1990s 1990 - Congress passes Clean Air Act Amendments requiring states to demonstrate progress in improving air quality. President George Bush also signs the Pollution Prevention Act, emphasizing the importance of preventing - not just correcting - environmental damage as well as the National Environmental Education Act, signifying the importance of educating the public to ensure scientifically sound, balanced and responsible decisions about the environment. 1992 - The EPA launches the Energy Star® Program to help consumers identify energy-efficient products. 1993 - A cryptosporidium outbreak in Milwaukee's drinking water sickens 400,000 people and kills more than 100. Also this year, President Bill Clinton directs the federal government to use its $200-billion annual purchasing power to buy recycled and environmentally preferable products. 1994 - The EPA issues new standards for chemical plants that will reduce toxic air pollution by more than half a million tons each year - the equivalent of taking 39 million vehicles off the road annually. The organization also launches its Brownfields Program to clean up abandoned, contaminated sites to return them to productive community use. 1996 - President Clinton signs the Food Quality Protection Act to tighten standards for pesticides used to grow food with special protections to ensure foods are safe for children. 1997 - The EPA issues tough new air quality standards for smog and soot, an action that improves air quality for 125 million Americans. Also this year, an executive order is issued to protect children from environmental health risks including childhood asthma and lead poisoning. 1999 - The EPA announces new requirements to improve air quality in national parks and wilderness areas. President Clinton also announces new emissions standards for cars, sport utility vehicles, minivans and trucks requiring them to run 77 to 95 percent "cleaner." The 2000s 2000 - The EPA establishes regulations requiring more than 90 percent cleaner heavy duty highway diesel engines and fuel. 2003 - President George W. Bush signs the Healthy Forests Restoration Act to prevent forest fires and safeguard and preserve the nation's forests. 2004 - New, more protective, 8-hour ozone and fine particulate standards go into effect across the country. President Bush proposed the Clean Air Rules of 2004 to make people healthier in the future. The result is more protection faster, which ensures clean air will be this generation's contribution to the next. 2005 - The EPA issues the Clean Air Interstate Rule and the Clean Air Mercury Rule. 2006 - The EPA launches the WaterSense® program to raise awareness about the importance of water efficiency, ensure the performance of water-efficient products and provide consumers with information.