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Energy Expo encourages conservation at home, work

  • Published
  • By Brandice J. Armstrong
  • Tinker Public Affairs
TINKER AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. --  A steady stream of onlookers passed through Oct. 7's energy expo. Held at the Hollywood and Vine intersection in Bldg. 3001, the event featured a dozen vendors offering pamphlets, giveaways and energy-awareness information.

Held in conjunction with October's Energy Awareness month, the event was supported by Tinker's senior leaders.

"I consider energy conservation mission critical," said Col. Bob LaBrutta, 72nd Air Base Wing and Tinker installation commander. "With the resource constraints that we're under, especially in the 72nd Air Base Wing, everybody's ideas on how we can become more efficient with energy will be appreciated and the great thing is that any savings we generate will go right back into the coffers of our other major programs."

During the three-hour expo, attendees learned about light-emitting diode, or LED, light bulbs; and the Air Force's goals to conserving energy. The goal is reduce energy usage by 50 percent in the next five years and water usage by 65 percent in the next five years, which is also a goal of the air logistics center.

As attendees picked up water bottles and calendars, they also checked out the Wheego Whip electric car on display. The two-passenger vehicle is 118.5 inches long, 63 inches tall and 63 inches wide and operates on a 96-volt battery, it is noiseless. It is equipped with a heater, air conditioner and radio and can reach speeds of 40 miles per hour.

Larry Howell, of the 76th Commodities Maintenance Group General Machine Shop, said he stopped by the expo on his way to the gym. He thought the displays, particularly the Wheego and Honeywell exhibit, which featured the findings of a steam optimization project on base, were neat.

Ngoc Tran, a chemist in the 76th Maintenance Support Squadron, said she came to the expo to see what it was about. She picked up pamphlets on lighting and house fans.

Although the expo was primarily aimed at industrial conservation tips, Ms. Tran said conserving energy at home is just as important.

In addition to energy conservation being good for the Air Force, Colonel LaBrutta said it is the right thing to do.

"All of us have a responsibility for being good stewards," he said. "Turning light switches on and off, turning up our thermostats in the summer and turning them down in the winter, reporting leaking faucets and toilets are easy ways for all of us to contribute. And, all of these individual efforts will add up to big savings over the course of the year which is great not only for our units but for Tinker Air Force Base and our Air Force as a whole."