October puts the spotlight on energy Published Oct. 18, 2008 By Jack Porter, Jr. 452 MSG/CECE MARCH AIR RESERVE BASE, CALIF. -- October is Energy Awareness Month Air Force wide and is given the theme of "Secure Today's Energy: Fuel Tomorrow's Mission." It is mandatory to Secure Today's Energy to Fuel Tomorrow's Mission by supporting the goals of the president and the Department of Defense to establish greater energy independence through conservation and innovative new technologies in alternative energy sources. In FY08, the Air Force Reserve Command spent $16.8 Million on energy across nine bases. The Air Force has met the 2005 energy reduction goal under Executive Order 13123, a 30 percent infrastructure energy reduction from a 1985 baseline. Executive Order 13423 is now in effect, which requires a three percent reduction per year with a baseline of consumption in 2003. The Air Force as a whole has met the goal set; however, there is a concern that the goal will not be met this year. As a command, AFRC has not met the goal for the past two years. This is why it is critical that energy be taken into consideration in all that is done by simply asking yourself the question: Is what I am doing the most energy efficient process? To Secure Today's Energy, there is a three-pronged Air Force Energy Strategy that must be followed: Reduce Demand: An increase in energy efficiency is equal to reduction in demand. This is accomplished through the education of every member of the Air Force on the importance of reducing our energy consumption and the avenues to accomplish the feat. Increase Supply: The Air Force is dedicated to finding new technologies to create new domestic sources of energy. Culture Change: We all must work to change the way we think when it comes to energy so that every Airmen makes energy a consideration in everything they do, every day. To save significant amount of energy as a base, each individual needs to understand and take into account their actions and ensure that energy conservation is always their first thought. It does not take much to conserve energy as an individual. Simply turning off the lights when a room is vacant or if you are the last person to leave your building, check each individual accessible room to ensure the lights are turned off. Power strips that are used to plug in multiple electronics can be turned off, even when not in use power strips still consume quite a bit of energy. If your location is in an office, simply turn the screen off to your computer when you are not using it. Even in hibernation mode your monitor consumes electricity. The thermostats throughout the buildings should only be adjusted by an authorized person.