Team Buckley bands together for America Recycles Day Published Nov. 10, 2009 By Eric Ross Team Buckley Recycles BUCKLEY AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. -- Team Buckley is invited to an information fair at the Buckley Base Exchange Nov. 13, 9 a.m. - 2 p.m., as part of America Recycles Day. In an effort to increase environmental stewardship and comply with Air Force requirements to have a qualified recycling program, Buckley Air Force Base initiated a recycling program in November 2006. Recycling helps conserve valuable natural resources, saves energy, reduces air and water pollution and conserves landfill space. Together, Airmen, Soldiers, Sailors, Marines, Coast Guardsmen and civilians can make a difference as part of Team Buckley Recycles! Recycling is one of the easiest ways that you can help slow climate change. Recycling at home significantly lowers carbon emissions associated with extracting virgin materials, manufacturing products and providing waste disposal. America Recycles Day statistics indicate that the amount of energy saved from recycling aluminum and steel cans, beverage, food and other plastic containers, glass containers, newsprint and corrugated packaging last year was equivalent to: - The quantity of electricity consumed by 17.8 million Americans in one year, or based on 2008 population statistics, the approximate population of Colorado, Arizona, Utah, New Mexico, and Wyoming combined. - 29 percent of nuclear electricity generation in the U.S. in one year. - 7.9 percent of electricity generation from fossil fuels in the U.S. in one year. - 11 percent of the energy produced by coal-fired power plants in the U.S. - The energy supplied from 2.7 percent of imported barrels of crude oil into the U.S. - The amount of gasoline used in almost 11 million passenger automobiles in one year. In order to do its part, Buckley Air Force Base's program uses single-stream recycling collection. This means all recycles such as plastic, glass and paper can be put into one recycling container. Research has shown that this new method will increase recycling user participation and lead to an increase in the volume of materials collected. Buckley Air Force Base has utilized the single stream recycling program since 2006 and has recycled more than 2,150 tons of materials. This equals the approximate weight of 165 F-16 Fighting Falcons, 33 M1 Abrams tanks or 130 Chinook helicopters. Buckley Air Force Base continues to adapt its program to help increase volumes of recyclable materials, through awareness, education and your Team Buckley Recycles' efforts to maintain a qualified recycling program. Buckley Air Force Base has locations throughout the base to allow easy access and drop off. The main drop off collection point is located north of Winter Park Avenue near the RV storage lot. Once again, please come out and show support at the America Recycles Day event scheduled at the Base Exchange parking lot Nov. 13. Numerous events are scheduled for Team Buckley families to learn more about recycling, the reuse of materials and things which can be done in the home and at work to reduce the use of materials that find their way to the local landfill.