Conserve energy, ‘Lead by example’ Published March 25, 2010 By Senior Airman Alex Martinez 39th Air Base Wing Public Affairs INCIRLIK AIR BASE, Turkey -- When it comes to the 39th Air Base Wing's effort to reduce energy consumption, a large part of the effort rests on Incirlik members, according to the base energy manager. "Energy efficient equipment and buildings are good, but it's the people in the buildings and their use of equipment that really matter," said Jerry Arnold, 39th Civil Engineer Squadron and base energy manager. Examples of what people can do to reduce energy consumption include a myriad of actions such as turning off lights and appliances when not in use; unplugging energy draining equipment (cell phones, charges, fans, coffeemakers, radios, etc.); carpooling and biking and using mass transit when commuting to name a few. These actions and initiatives will enable the wing to achieve its mission of a 30 percent reduction in energy use by 2015 from a baseline year of 2003. Since 2003, the wing has stood below its goals of yearly energy consumption reduction percentages. "We need to lead by example," Mr. Arnold said. "If we could have base leadership highlight this message, it would help out significantly." The wing uses tools such as town hall meetings, training, informational brochures, television and the Commander's Access Channel to inform base members about energy conservation programs. "I encourage leaders across the base to spread the word to their Airmen about energy conservation," said Col. Eric Beene, 39th ABW commander. "I want everyone to know that conserving energy affects them directly. The more money we save on energy consumption, the more money we can put toward needed base improvements and morale boosting events. And the sooner we'll be able to fix the things we need to fix at Incirlik!" Col. Lawrence Gray, 39th ABW vice commander, also said that small changes in people's daily energy consumption habits will yield large fiscal savings in the future. "It is up to each of us in the wing and out tenant units to be good stewards and help to realize these potential gains," Colonel Gray said. A program base members can use to conserve energy is Operation Change Out. The program offers base members free compact fluorescent lights from the self-help center. On average, an $8.80 CFL bulb can save about $20 a year on an energy bill. For more information on energy conservation visit http://www.eere.energy.gov, and for information on Operation Change Out, call 676-9179.