Team Kadena 'cleans up' for Earth Week

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Jonathan Steffen
  • 18th Wing Public Affairs
KADENA AIR BASE, Japan --  Service members and their families at Kadena Air Base on Okinawa came together for Earth Week, April 17-24, to improve and preserve the island.

Team Kadena celebrated Earth Week by raising environmental awareness through a variety of fun-filled events like a reusable-bag giveaway, a beach clean-up, cherry-tree planting and an "EarthFest."

"The goals of Earth Week were to raise awareness of environmental conservation efforts (particularly recycling) and to inspire the community to make greener choices" said Michelle Walton, 718th Civil Engineer Squadron Earth Week committee chairman.

"Kadena celebrates Earth Week to encourage the community to examine their actions for environmental consequences and to change them where they can. If everyone makes a small change, then together we'll make a big difference," she added.

This year's Earth Week theme was "One Community," which signified the work both Americans and Okinawans must do to maintain to preserve the island's natural beauties.

"It's an opportunity to work with our on- and off-base neighbors as 'One Community' to preserve the natural wonders of Okinawa," said Ms. Walton.

With the assistance of Kadena Middle School students from the Zoological Environmental Research Opportunity club, Team Kadena ended the week by planting 15 cherry trees on the base, nine of which were planted at Marek Park.

"Earth Week is an opportunity to reflect on how we affect the environment and to learn how we can make small changes in our daily lives so that we make a positive impact," said Ms. Walton.

Other Earth Week events included "Take a Hike Day," a jungle and park clean-up, a clothes donation drive, and an "Act of Green" day.

The Kadena Base Exchange and Commissary also contributed to Earth Week by giving away reusable bags. Since it is said that plastic bags take up to 1,000 years to degrade in landfills, using reusable bags instead of plastic bags helps reduce the amount of plastic going to the landfills.