“Today we are at an important turning point as we confront real-time impacts of climate change, and what it means for the mission of the DON to protect our air, land, and sea resources, which are essential to the health, safety, and defense of Americans today,” said Meredith Berger, Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Energy, Installations, and Environment. “I am proud of our Sailors, Marines and their families who responded to the call to action this past Earth Day to invest back into our planet and develop partnerships in their communities to advance the DON’s mission as environmental stewards.”
The DON’s Earth Day activities and environmental stewardship efforts are not limited to a single day. Through continued dedication to the stewardship of the environment the DON ensures the values of Earth Day are upheld every day. Clean air, water, and land are essential to the safety and health of our military and civilian personnel, our families, and our neighboring communities, and the ability of our installations and ranges to continue to meet mission critical functions. The Department has a duty to conserve and protect natural and cultural resources on our installations and ranges, both as a public trust responsibility, and because well-managed resources ensure the continued access to long-term sustainability of our ranges and installations. Conducting training, testing, construction and other base operating activities in a manner that minimizes impacts to natural and cultural resources safeguards important species and habitats ensuring the continued resiliency of the environment to support vital naval missions and changing operational demands.
The DON encourages and empowers every Sailor, Marine, and Civilian to take action both on behalf of the Department and personally to invest in our planet, develop partnerships in the communities, and take care of our planet. Every action taken helps contribute to the Department’s mission and the global mission of protecting the environment and combating climate change.
Below are examples of Department of the Navy’s Earth Day activities from around the globe: