Since the late 1980's, I have been active in the energy conservation movement in the United States. My first exposure to energy reduction programs was as a summer hire for the United States Army in Heidelberg, Germany. In this job, I was responsible for removing or also known as delamping light fixtures. These kinds of programs expanded and developed over the next few years, which resulted in significant savings for the American tax payer. I was able to get some training with the Environmental Protection Agency during my college years, learning more about energy conservation and reduction. One of my first duty assignments was as a Deputy Energy Management Officer for the United States Air Force at Randolph Air Force Base. The 12th Civil Engineering Squadron was cutting edge on the reduction of water and energy use, and received multiple awards for this work. I was personally recognized with an Outstanding rating by the Inspector General review team. My conservation efforts further expanded during my time with Amazon.com. As an area manager, one of our responsibilities is to make production more efficient. Based on my previous training and education, a small team of workers was put together to reduce energy use and costs for the company. From these efforts, I was able to establish a global environmental movement called the Green Amazon.com. Through EARTH improvement projects in facilities across the world, we were able to save hundreds of thousands of dollars. The impact later totaled in the millions of dollars in savings, but most importantly in the reduction of energy and water usage at Amazon.com. One idea changed an entire company.

Based on my experience with smart environmentalism grounded on sound business practices, I believe Team Nelson can become an active member of the green movement in Kentucky. County government must make smart decisions in retrofitting buildings with new lighting, water conservation, and encouraging residents to be more green. This does not mean government mandates and rules, but rather government being a responsible user of tax payer monies and resources. The goal of Green Nelson County is to reduce energy and water consumption so we can reduce government waste of taxpayer monies! If you have any ideas on how to make our government more environmentally friendly, please make a comment in Your Opinion section. Thank you!