Energy Expo held as part of Energy Action Month at AEDC

  • Published
  • By Deidre Ortiz
  • AEDC/PA
ARNOLD AIR FORCE BASE, TENN. --  Throughout the month of October, employees at AEDC observed Energy Action Month by wearing green as part of "Go Green Wednesdays" and taking steps to conserve energy and be more energy efficient.

As part of the awareness effort, an Energy Expo, organized by the AEDC Civil Engineering branch, was held Oct. 22 at the Main Auditorium. Representatives from the Tennessee Valley Authority spoke about the many ways families can save energy at home. Also stopping in to visit those in attendance was Captain Kilowatt, who could be seen around AEDC all month-long encouraging everyone to join his cause.

After making an appearance at the expo, the energy-saving super hero was able to spare a few minutes to answer the following questions:

High Mach: What is Captain Kilowatt's mission?

Captain Kilowatt: My mission is two-fold. First, I want to raise awareness and establish a working environment where energy is considered in all that we do. Turning off your lights when you go to a meeting or leave for the day is a great example of being energy conscious. Second, I want to reduce energy by creating higher efficiencies. It is no surprise that Arnold consumes a lot of energy as it supports the Air Force mission to fly, fight, and win... in air, space, and cyberspace. This fact alone is why the emphasis is on efficiency instead of reduction. 

HM: Is saving energy easy and what can we do daily to save energy here at work and at home?

CK: I would be lying if I said saving energy was easy to do.  If it were easy I would be out of a job! Some energy saving actions can be easy but the truth is saving energy is typically very tough, which is why it takes a team effort. I've said before, a drop in a bucket is unnoticeable, but 10,000 drops can overflow the bucket. The key is that we utilize the easy things (programmable thermostats, energy efficient lighting, and turning off your lights when you leave the office) while also working together to attack the larger issues (test process efficiencies, aged equipment, etc.) 

HM: Why is saving energy so important and what are the benefits?

CK: For most people, saving energy means saving money. I agree that this is a huge benefit but it is also important to think of the generations that will follow us. As we reduce our energy load, we decrease dependency on some of our depleting resources while improving our ability to sustain through renewable energy sources.