Cannon to be recognized for environmental efforts

Cannon Air Force Base will be recognized Thursday by the New Mexico Environment Department for efforts at preventing pollution.

Cannon representatives will be presented with a Green Zia Award by Environment Secretary Ron Curry and Lt. Gov. Diane Denish, according to an NMED press release. The ceremony will be held from noon to 2 p.m. at the Governor’s Mansion in Santa Fe.

“These Green Zia Awards are part of a statewide effort to recognize businesses that take a systematic approach to being more green,” Curry said. “Businesses that decrease waste improve their profits, showing that pollution prevention is not only good for the state’s environment, it is also good for business and New Mexico’s economy.”

Adam Rankin, NMED communications director, said Cannon is being recognized for achieving the level of excellence. “This is the highest award possible,” Rankin said. “It is prestigious because we have only given out two excellence awards in the past.”

Rankin said Cannon officials submitted a 54-page application, which gave detailed information on their efforts to better the environment.

“Cannon Air Force Base reduced its hazardous waste by 80 percent, its solvent waste by 96 percent and succeeded in diverting more than 7,000 tons of reusable materials from its landfill,” Curry said. “In all, these actions saved Cannon $200,000.”

According to Rankin, Cannon also reduced its waste by creating a new type of absorbent pad used for fuel spillage. The new pads can be wrung out and reused up to 15 times. This saved Cannon approximately $2,000 over a few months time.