Lessons from the U.S. Military About Environmental Sustainability

With its more than 1 million active duty and millions more civilian personnel, the U.S. Department of
Defense (DoD) makes a global impact. Its distributed assets protect billions of people in geographically
dispersed countries. But with hundreds of thousands of assets, vehicles, and facilities in operation on
any given day, its carbon footprint impacts the globe as well.

 

Fortunately, the U.S. government has prioritized sustainability initiatives as part of all the DoD's agencies
and operations. In recent years, the U.S. military has made a concerted effort to reduce its negative
impact on the environment and become more sustainable as a result.

 

Now, the DoD is "advancing its mission through resilient infrastructure" with priorities for energy
resilience, water efficiency, and sustainable acquisition, among others, the 2020 DHS Sustainability
Report and Implementation Plan describes. This article explores these initiatives and identifies key
lessons private sector companies can learn about the DoD’s sustainability best practices.

 

A History of Environmental Harm

 

The U.S. military has not always been environmentally conscientious. In fact, its activities have most
often had detrimental effects. The U.S. military's use of Agent Orange in Vietnam is a well-known
example of how military operations can cause great harm to the environment and public health.

 

Even in recent years, U.S. Navy vessels have left tons of waste on foreign shores as part of their global
operations. And while many military installations are in remote areas with few inhabitants, they can still
have an outsized environmental impact. For example, Fort Huachuca in Arizona is the largest employer
in Cochise County; however it uses more water per capita than any other city or town in the county due
in part to its remote desert location.

 

The U.S. Military’s Carbon Footprint Today

 

The U.S. military's global carbon footprint is still significant today. The DoD operates in over 180
countries around the world, where military operations have a large environmental impact both locally
and collectively. For example, the U.S. military uses massive amounts of fossil fuels which causes air
pollution on a global scale. Additionally, military exercises can disturb or destroy local habitats and
ecosystems.

 

In fact, the U.S. military not only accounts for between 77% and 80% of all the federal government's
emissions; it produces more greenhouse gas emissions than all of Portugal, Live Science reports. The U.S.
military’s carbon emissions come from a variety of sources, including energy use at military installations,
fuel used for transportation and equipment operations, and waste generation.

 

Emerging DoD Climate Initiatives Show Promise

 

Despite its history, the U.S. military has made significant strides in recent years to become more
environmentally sustainable. The U.S. military has adopted methods to reduce its environmental impact
and address the risks posed by climate change as well.

 

In fact, the U.S. military has been preparing for climate change for years. The Pentagon released its first
report on the national security implications of climate change in 2003, with additional reports of the
same scope in the years that followed. Each report reiterates that climate change poses a threat to U.S.
military bases, operations, and personnel around the world.

 

Now, over a decade later, the DoD is integrating sustainability into all aspects of its missions. The DoD
operates renewable energy projects at military installations worldwide, including solar, wind, and
geothermal projects as part of its plans to improve energy efficiency across all military operations. The
Army now operates hundreds of installations across the U.S. as well, producing energy capacities that
could power at least one-hundred thousand homes.

 

The U.S. military is also working to reduce its reliance on fossil fuels. By 2018, 65% of the energy U.S.
naval bases use came from alternative fuels, Naval Technology reports, where nuclear and biofuel
provide roughly 35% of power for vessels at sea. The U.S. military is preparing for natural disasters and
other effects of climate change that could affect its personnel, infrastructure, and global populations as
well.

 

Notable Features of the DoD’s Renewability and Climate Initiatives Today

 

As part of these efforts, the DoD is undertaking several formal environmental sustainability, climate
change mitigation, and climate adaptation initiatives to increase resilience and reduce its own
environmental impact.

 

One example is the Net Zero initiative, which aims to have each Army installation consume no more
energy than it can produce onsite. The DoD also operates the Defense Environmental Restoration
Program that cleans up and restores military sites around the world. And it has developed a Climate
Change Adaptation Plan to prepare for the national security implications of climate change.

 

Here are some notable features of its key climate change initiatives:

 

● Renewable energy: The DoD is increasing energy efficiency and renewable energy use across all
military branches. For example, the Army has made strides in renewable energy generation,
with wind turbines and solar arrays now operational on army posts nationwide. The Army has
set a goal to have 25% of its energy come from renewable sources by 2025.

 

● Energy conservation: The Department of Defense Energy Strategy lays out a roadmap for
reducing energy use and greenhouse gas emissions to increase energy security and resilience.
The U.S. military is considering new energy storage solutions as well, such as using molten salt
to store solar energy overnight for use during peak hours.

 

● Electric vehicles: The U.S. military is transitioning to electric vehicles wherever possible. The
Navy, for example, has committed to deploying electric vehicles and hybrid technologies across
its fleet.

 

● Water conservation: The U.S. military is also seeking to reduce its water consumption. For
example, the Naval Facilities Engineering Command has developed comprehensive water
conservation plans that have saved billions of gallons of potable water at naval installations
worldwide.

 

● Climate resilience: In addition to these operational improvements, the U.S. military is working
to make its critical infrastructure more resilient to disruptions caused by climate change, such as
floods and storms. For example, the DoD has installed microgrids at some military bases that
can provide power even when the main grid fails.

 

Sustainability Implications for Private Companies

 

 

Private sector companies can learn a great deal from military sustainability best practices. For instance,
the U.S. military has extensive experience with energy resilience measures such as installing back-up
generators and ensuring that critical infrastructure is hardened against natural disasters.

 

The U.S. military’s experience planning for risks can help private companies prepare for disruptions
caused by extreme weather events or other effects of climate change as well. Here are four ways private
sector companies can implement their own initiatives and best practices in these areas.

 

1. Create a sustainability center of excellence (CoE). The DoD creates top-down initiatives for all
its agencies that involve comprehensive research and well-defined objectives. Business leaders
can take the same approach by creating a sustainability ‘center of excellence’ whose sole
purpose is to analyze, plan, and implement sustainability initiatives.

 

2. Use data analytics to identify areas for improvement in terms of sustainability, energy
consumption, and environmental impact. Predictive analytics can help companies identify
where they need to focus their efforts to make the biggest impact on sustainability and ensure
the most effective allocation of their limited sustainability budgets.

 

3. Develop a strategic plan that includes measurable goals and objectives. The Department of
Defense Climate Change Adaptation Plan outlines steps for DoD components to identify and
assess vulnerabilities to climate change across all its mission areas. Private companies can
develop their own strategic plans by tailoring those initiatives to their varied operational
elements. Having a clear plan with defined targets will help companies measure their progress
and ensure they are reaching their sustainability goals.

 

4. Measure your success. With clearly defined objectives, a company’s sustainability CoE can
define metrics and measure the success of these initiatives. These metrics can be used to
optimize budget allocation and even improve public perceptions through PR and marketing
activities.

 

Realizing Individual and Collective Sustainability

 

The U.S. military is now a leader when it comes to environmental sustainability, and private companies
can learn a great deal from its best practices. By implementing some of the U.S. military's initiatives,
businesses can make their operations more environmentally friendly and resilient to disruptions caused
by climate change. Collectively, both public and private sector organizations can play a critical role in
helping to mitigate the effects of climate change and build a more sustainable future.

 

Partner with Uvation for Your Sustainability Initiatives

 

The consultants at Uvation can help you prepare your company's own sustainability and climate
resilience initiatives. Book an online session with a sustainability expert to begin.