Spring is here, and the JBLM prairies are awash with golden paintbrush, Oregon sunshine, balsamroot, iris and other wildflowers. These beautiful prairie flowers are preserved and propagated with the help of the Center for Natural Lands Management's (CNLM) South Sound Prairies Conservation Nursery program, where these plants are carefully nurtured and the seeds are harvested to make sure the South Sound prairie remains a viable ecosystem. Since 2004, the Joint Base Lewis-McChord Department of Public Works Environmental Division has partnered with the CNLM through a recycling program that provides the nursery with compost, free of charge.

Some 12 years ago, the JBLM Department of Public Works Environmental Division began Earthworks, a facility that provides on-base composting and recycling. Earthworks' mission is to be good for the environment and to contribute to the sustainability of the base. Now, more than a decade later, Earthworks has been remarkably successful. Every year, more than 700 tons of waste from JBLM's dining halls and commissaries is diverted from landfills and incinerators and into the composting and recycling program. And that's not all. The program also composts and recycles yard debris, storm debris and stable waste, turning it into nutrient-rich mulch.

JBLM's Earthworks program doesn't just save money on waste disposal and soil amendments by providing free compost for use on base. The recycled waste and debris actually produces revenue. Earthworks' compost is avalable for sale to the public through the JBLM Qualified Recycling Program.

To demonstrate their commitment to creating an environmentally-friendly and sustainable installation, JBLM has volunteered to be a pilot installation for the Army's Net Zero Initiative which, according to the Army Net Zero Energy Roadmap and Program Summary, " ... is a holistic strategy founded upon long-standing sustainable practices, and (it) incorporates emerging best practices to manage energy, water and waste at Army installations. The intent of the Net Zero Initiative is to enhance mission effectiveness and increase installation resiliency." The goal of the Net Zero Initiative is to send zero waste products to landfills or incinerators by 2020. JBLM is well on its way toward achieving that vision.

The Net Zero Initiative not only seeks to eliminate waste deposits in landfills, it also hopes to achieve an 85% reduction in vehicle air emissions, create sustainable neighborhoods, and "maintain the ability of JBLM to meet its current and future military missions without compromising the integrity of natural and cultural resources," among other goals and initiatives. Of the 17 bases participating in the initiative, JBLM has "the largest Net Zero portfolio."

For more information about JBLM's composting and recycling program, contact the JBLM Department of Public Works Environmental Division at 253.967.5337.