OffOff--Post Trash Disposal and Recycling Post Trash Disposal and Recycling

By Helmut Bueller, USAG Bavaria SORT Coordina-

tor, Operations and Maintenance Division.

Community members living on the econ-

omy to include military, civilians and family

members must comply with host nation

law and dispose of their household waste

including the recyclable material through

the municipal disposal system. Transpor-

tation and disposal of garbage or recy-

clables on post is prohibited.

DOD personnel living off post receive

compensation for their household waste

disposal through living quarters or over-

seas housing allowance. At Government

Rental Housing or Leased Housing the

waste disposal fees are included in the

rental cost paid by the garrison. If off-post

generated refuse or recyclables are dis-

posed of at on-post dumpsters the United

States effectively pays twice for every item

of household waste.

Exceptions are only for items donated

at the Freecycle center building 441.

Serviceable or useable household items

are accepted in the yellow walk-in con-

tainer, labeled as “Freecycle Bin” next to

building 441. This bin can be used 24/7.

Donated items can be picked up free of

charge on Tuesdays 1000 – 1400 hrs and

on each first Saturday of the month from

1000 – 1400 hrs. The Freecycle Center is

designed to divert serviceable or use-

able items from household waste enter-

ing the solid waste stream and return them

to use.

Recycling rules in Germany are different

depending on where you live.

Even in our area the counties have differ-

ent rules that have to be followed. Infor-

mation on the individual recycling rules

and the pick-up dates are published as

information material available at the Self

Help Store (building 394), the DPW SORT

office (building 329, room 39) or at the

Housing Office (building 244, room 114).

For more information about trash disposal

guidance visit the garrison website at

http://www.grafenwoehr.army.mil/

usag_dpw/o&m/util_sort.asp

or contact DSN 475-6664 or 476-2600.

USAG Bavaria “Go Green” “Go Green” “Go Green”

USAG Bavaria Newsletter

“Go Green”

Issue 4

Fall 2013

SORT/Recycling POCs:

DSN 475–6664 Tower Barracks

CIV 09641-83-6664

DSN 476-2600 Rose Barracks

CIV 096662-83-2600

Inside this issue:

Off-Post Trash Disposal 1

Environmental Officer Training 1

Orchard Meadows 2

Construction at the Airfield 3

BMC Go Green! - Eat Green 3

Onpost Recycling Garmisch 4

New Energy Conservation SOP 4

Environmental Officers Environmental Officers

Training Training

Onsite Training Onsite Training Refresher training in English and German at

Rose Barracks, Bldg. 355: 19 Nov German

20 Nov English 21 Nov German

8:30—11:30 a.m.

Online Training Online Training http://tti.na.amec.com/IMCOM

Register NOW Register NOW Training Coordinator USAG Bavaria, DSN 475-7048 sabine.poerschke.ln@mail.mil

Training Coordinator

USAG Hohenfels, DSN 466-2258 Reinhold.froehlich.ln@mail.mil

Page 1

Article co-written by environmental staff from

Grafenwoehr/Hohenfels and Ansbach

In historical times, orchards played an impor-

tant role for farmers. The fruits were used

for many different products and were essen-

tial for the survival of the residents as well as

for trading. Besides the ruins, fruit trees are

the only contemporary witnesses of aban-

doned villages at the Grafenwoehr and

Hohenfels Training Areas. Additionally, old

orchards are excellent habitats for insects

and birds.

Environmental studies have revealed that

many of the fruit cultivars that survived in the

training areas are no longer existing any-

where else or are quite rare. Since many of

the fruit trees have reached a critical age,

the environmental divisions at Grafenwoehr,

Hohenfels and Ansbach initiated projects to

preserve these varieties, which means pre-

serving cultural resources of European his-

tory and also ecological resources - as insect

and bird habitat.

USAG Bavaria

At Hohenfels Training Area, fruit trees were

surveyed in around 50 abandoned villages or

settlements. As expected, many rare apple

and pear varieties were found. Surprisingly,

quite a number of varieties were even

unknown to pomologists (experts in fruit

growing). Obviously, people used local

varieties in that area that no longer exist and

were preserved at the premises of the

training area only.

Since fruit varieties cannot be reproduced by

seedlings, scions (twigs) of old trees have to

be grafted (see explanation) to new planted

stock.

Where possible, old trees that were still alive

were stabilized or cut free to extend their

lives.

At the Grafenwoehr Trianing Area, the local

Environmental Division started a survey of

fruit trees and planted around 50 fruit trees

with old cultivars at Saratoga Avenue (Tower

barracks) in 2003. Six years later, a follow-

up project was started to revitalize former

orchards within the Training Area (GTA).

One of the location chosen was the deserted

village of Hopfenohe, a point of interest for

visitors. A new orchard was planted using

regional varieties as well as varieties raised

from scions originating from old fruit trees at

the Hopfenohe area.

These projects are not only valuable for

preserving natural and cultural resources,

they are also used to mitigate military

construction projects.

USAG Ansbach

At the USAG Ansbach, there are no

meadow orchards yet. However, an area of

5000 square meters farmland is going to be

converted into a meadow orchard this fall

(east of housing next to the rain water reten-

tion basin in Katterbach). This initiative was

generated due to several construction

projects at the USAG Ansbach. Per Ger-

man Federal Nature Protection Act, projects

that cause an environmental impact on the

natural components such as water, air, soil,

animals, plants, etc., need to be compen-

sated by environmental upgrades in the vi-

cinity of the impacted area. In this case, the

environmental upgrade is the conversion of

a species-poor area into a diversely struc-

tured meadow orchard, which is an ap-

proved compensation method. The envi-

ronmental compensation for three Garrison

related construction projects is going to be

implemented in October/November 2013 in

the mentioned area.

Orchard MeadowsOrchard Meadows

Did you know?

The wild forms of modern fruit trees still

grow in the Western Himalayan. About 2000

years ago, Greeks and Romans first culti-

vated fruits professionally. From the Middle

Ages until the 18th century, English, French

and German gardeners developed more and

more varieties until there were about 1000

(!) apple varieties in Bavaria, perfectly

adapted to local climates. This huge assort-

ment was reduced to about 100 in the 19th

century and even more in the 20th century,

when “industrial” agriculture was introduced.

Increased fruit import from abroad cut down

even more varieties. Modern cultivation

(purely industrial) is done with only a handful

of apple varieties.

USAG Bavaria “Go Green” Fall 2013

Grafting is a method where exposed tissues of scions (cuttings from fruit trees) are placed along-side exposed tissues of other trees. This encour-

ages the tissues of the two plants to fuse to-

gether to form one trunk.

From top to bottom: Apple trees at Grafenwoehr Training Area,

apple and pear varieties

Page 2

Caecilia Meier, Environmental Division ,

USAG Bavaria

Eat season? Eating fruits and vegetables at

the time of harvest means you're eating them

when they're fresh, have traveled less and

have been stored less. That means a tastier

food that has typically required fewer re-

sources to reach you.

In Germany you will find fresh foods from the

local areas at the Wochenmärkte (weekly

markets) usually taking place on the week-

ends in most surrounding towns.

The fresher your food, the longer it will

last and the better it will taste.

Construction at Grafenwoehr AirfieldConstruction at Grafenwoehr Airfield

Green procurement Green procurement —— Eat Season Eat Season

additional services). The treatment method

was selected after a 4-year test conducted

by the environmental division in close coop-

eration with the local water office and the

airfield management. It ensures an effective

treatment with very low operation and main-

tenance costs. A treatment bed consisting of

different layers of gravel and sand planted

with reed plants (Phragmites australis)

ensures an effective and safe degradation of

the deicing substance.

During the presently ongoing second

phase with a scheduled completion date of

October 2013, all refueling operations at the

air field are brought into compliance with

environmental laws as well as safety require-

ments. To reach this goal, all mission re-

quired refueling locations will be upgraded

by the replacement of existing surfaces with

impermeable surfaces, new refueling loca-

tions will be constructed, runoff will be con-

tained and drained towards retaining basins.

Two-step oil-water-separators are included

in the scope of the constructed project as

well. After completion of the second phase,

the air field will not only meet current

environmental and safety requirement

but also current and future mission and

operational requirements. For the second

phase of the project, the Garrison will spend

another $ 2,633,417.95 (renovate helipads

and drainage system) .

Manfred Rieck, Environmental Division, Steve

Shaw, Airfield and Andrea Baeumler, A/E Divi-

sion

When driving on post thru gate 6 you may

have noticed that construction is ongoing at

the Grafenwoehr Army Airfield. This project

is the second step of a garrison effort to

bring the airfield in full compliance with envi-

ronmental laws while observing current and

future mission requirements.

In a first step, an air field runoff collection

and treatment system was installed. It

collects and treats the airfield deicing runoff

during the wintertime, when a deicing sub-

stance must be applied to the airfield surface

to ensure safe flight operations. This project

was completed in June 2012 for an amount

of $ 2,959,648.99 (including mitigation and

USAG Bavaria “Go Green” Fall 2013

Ongoing construction at the Grafenwoehr Army Airfield

Vegetables and fruits that are currently in

season in Germany are apples, plums,

pears, quinces, carrots, potatoes, leeks,

cauliflower, blue and white cabbage, etc.

After all, shopping at a weekly market does

not only satisfy your shopping needs,— It

reduces waste because your goods are not

pre-wrapped and gives you a little bit of a

holiday feeling every weekend.

In the local area of Grafenwoehr, you’ll find

weekly markets in Weiden, Eschenbach,

Pegnitz, Amberg, Sulzbach, Bayreuth, and

Creussen. Most of them are open on Satur-

day mornings, some on Friday mornings.

Weekly market at Weiden

Separating membrane

Drain system

Reed plants

Drain gravel

Filter layer/ bio filter sand , 80 cm

Piping

Concrete blocks

Piping

Cross section—treatment plant

Page 3

By Larry Steinman, Garmisch-Partenkirchen Military

Community.

The City of Garmisch-Partenkirchen will soon

take over the recycling responsibilities for

Sheridan Kaserne, Artillery Kaserne and the

Breitenau Housing area.

A new recycling system will then be imple-

mented. Households and work places will likely

be required to separate glass, paper, biode-

gradable waste, plastic and regular trash, like

all other residence in the city.

Detailed guidance will be provided well in

advance before the start of the new system.

Page 4

Newsletter Bavaria Military Community “Go Green” March 2013

GarmischGarmisch––Partenkirchen Military Communities Partenkirchen Military Communities

USAG Bavaria “Go Green” Fall 2013

Page 4

New Energy and Water Conservation SOP signed!New Energy and Water Conservation SOP signed!

Contact Information:

Garmisch-Partenkirchen Military Community

Directorate of Public Works

DSN 440-3803

CIV 08821-750-3803

Residue, organic waste, paper waste

and yellow bag (from left)

COMING SOON COMING SOON —— Onpost RecyclingOnpost Recycling

Saving tips assembled by Paul Hlawatsch, Energy Manager, USAG Hohenfels

The new USAG Bavaria Energy and Water Conservation Standing Operation Procedure (SOP) applies to all of us, i.e. Soldiers,

Civilians, Family members, government employees, contractors, organizations and tenant units within the USAG Bavaria footprint. It

requires that every organization not only appoints Building Energy Monitors (BEMs), but it also gives valuable tips for saving govern-

ment $$$. A copy of the SOP can be found at the Garrison home page http://www.grafenwoehr.army.mil/save-energy.asp.

SAVE HEAT

Close windows and doors during

winter months

Open the blinds to allow the sun-

shine to naturally heat the room

Turn off radiators when rooms are

unoccupied

SAVE ELECTRICAL POWER

Turn off interior/ exterior lights and electrical

devices (Computers, Monitors, Printers,

Audio/TV, wall chargers) if not needed

Unplug unused electrical devices in storage

areas (i.e. refrigerators, freezers)

Switch to compact fluorescent bulbs (CFLs)

and solid state lights (SSLs), available at

Self Help

Look for the ENERGY STAR Label when

purchasing new appliances

Do not use portable electrical space heaters

Report unoccupied facilities to DPW for shut

down of lighting / electrical devices

SAVE WATER

Take a shower instead of a bath

Don’t leave the water running when

you are brushing your teeth

Report leaks and dripping pipes

immediately

Do not wash your dishes under

running water

Start washers, dryers and dish-

washers only when fully loaded

Always use the energy savings

programs on washers / dryers and

dishwashers

Appoint your Building Energy Monitor (BEM) now .

Get your copy of the SOP at http://www.grafenwoehr.army.mil/save-energy.asp

Send energy saving tips to: usarmy.grafenwoehr.imcom-europe.list.bmc-energy-hotline@mail.mil