In 18 months, the amount of waste we divert from our landfill increased 800 percent. Discarded wood became mulch used for weed control, while officials packaged other reusable materials. In the first year, the base diverted 90 percent of cardboard from the landfill. But for most Marines, we show the money issues. That money could have paid for a new dormitory or purchased new weapons and equipment.
Every dollar spent on the environment takes away from other programs.
Kaneohe Bay, too, is spending money on capping an old landfill and starting a new one. However, James Abbott, head hazardous waste management here, arranged funding from the Naval Facilities Engineering Service Center, Port Hueneme, Calif., by turning the operation into research and development projects. One project is high-tech. Port Hueneme can call the computer anytime, download information, analyze it and build reports. The project looks at six different scenarios for closing the landfill.