Earth Day 2011 at March Published April 22, 2011 By Carroll Hale 452nd Environmental Flight MARCH AIR RESERVE BASE, Calif. -- Earth Day is an annual event for people around the world to celebrate the earth and renew commitments to building a safer, healthier and cleaner world for everyone. The first Earth Day took place on April 22, 1970, and over the years has grown into a major event, celebrated around the globe by more than a billion people of all backgrounds, faiths and nationalities. In our Earth Day event at March Air Reserve Base, we are proud to support our local community and base as a leader in conservation, working to protect our natural and cultural resources and minimize our impact to the surrounding communities and residents. The 452nd Mission Support Group Environmental Flight helps protect more than 2,258 acres of land and waterways base-wide, operating several conservation projects including: a burrowing owl habitat preserve, a falcon reproduction facility, managing a popular rideshare program and overseeing the mitigation and restoration of more than 235 acres of surface and subsurface land. With more than 8,000 military and civilian personnel utilizing the base and its resources at any one time, it quickly becomes apparent that our efforts in environmental stewardship are essential to maintain a good quality of life at March. Eight ways to green your blue It seems as though everywhere we turn these days, the idea of being green is center stage. Companies are eager to promote their green products; friends and neighbors strive to live a green lifestyle. But I'd like to discuss another color: blue. Water, so essential to life on this planet, is our single most precious resource, and already, there is not enough of it to go around. Even for those of us for whom access to water is merely a matter of turning on a tap, water is a critical issue. Pollution from industrial and household contaminants threatens water supplies, while shortages in parts of the U.S. have led to rationing in many heavily populated areas, including here in Southern California. Clearly, we also need a "Blue Revolution." If we work together to preserve and expand this finite and precious resource, we will guarantee ourselves a healthier, wealthier and tastier water future. Toward that end, here are eight simple steps you can take to green your water use: Change your mindset One of the easiest ways to start greening your water use is to rethink the water you flush, wash and drink as a finite resource. Whenever you use water, think about these two easy rules. 1.If you aren't using it, turn it off. 2. If you wouldn't want the substance touching your skin, don't put it down the drain. (In most cases, the substances we pour down our drains and the water we drink are closely connected.) Check your water footprint Waterfootprint.org has a calculator that can help you determine how water-intensive your lifestyle is. Give a hoot It's a timeless classic, but Woodsy Owl only had it half right when he said not to pollute. Consider what you throw away, since toxins have a tendency to leach out of landfills and pollute groundwater sources. Make sure nothing dangerous or toxic ends up in your next glass of water by properly disposing of and recycling your trash. Watch out for that bottle It takes more water to make the plastic bottle than the bottle itself provides. And even though these water sources are pretty much the same as what comes from your tap, they charge up to 1,900 times the price of tap water--bad news for wallet, health and environment alike. Purchase a reusable bottle that you can take with you on-the-go. Go with the low-flow Turn off the water when you brush and shave, take shorter showers and flush the toilet judiciously. If you haven't already done so, consider installing a low-flow showerhead, an aerator on your sink and a low-flow toilet. These efforts can reduce your household water use by up to 50 percent and will save money on your water bill. Green thumb, blue thumb Lawn care is both a big consumer and polluter of water. Try to grow vegetation that is suited for this climate and won't require tons of extra watering. Some grasses are more drought-resistant than others and nitrogen and phosphorous runoff from home lawn fertilizers can end up in our water supplies. An (auto)motive for improvement One gallon of motor oil can contaminate a million gallons of water. If you change your own oil, be sure to take your old oil and filter to a service station where it can be recycled. You can also save water by not leaving the hose running when you wash your car. Share your Earth Day tips with us on Facebook and Twitter.