Air Force focuses on green bases this Earth Day Published April 22, 2016 Secretary of the Air Force Public Affairs While Earth Day only comes around once a year on April 22, the Air Force strives to do its part every day by building cleaner, greener bases where Airmen and their families train, live and work. In the last fiscal year alone, the enterprise managed 295 renewable energy projects at 97 sites. This has contributed to the service’s 21 percent reduction in energy use since 2003 and keeps it on track to achieve its goal of cutting energy use 37.5 percent by 2020. Toward this end, the Air Force has implemented a policy of only constructing new buildings and major renovation projects by the federal standards for High Performance and Sustainable Buildings. All new projects must also achieve a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design silver certification. While energy conservation and supply are critical to the Air Force’s diverse missions, the service also prioritizes responsible water usage throughout its operations and construction projects. In the last fiscal year, the Air Force funded four water projects which are expected to save 25.3 million gallons of water annually. While Air Force conservation measures such as these have helped build cleaner, greener installations, success depends on the actions taken by every Airman daily. For more information and tips on what every Airman can do to make a difference, visit the Air Force’s Earth Day page at http://www.afcec.af.mil/news/earthday