The US Army is currently making efforts to reduce its carbon footprint in order to decrease greenhouse gas emissions by 30 percent by 2015. These efforts include limiting the use of fossil fuels in forward areas like Iraq and Afghanistan, as well as training ranges in the United States. This initiative not only aims to protect the environment but also to save the lives of soldiers who are targeted while transporting fuel. Deputy Assistant Secretary Tad Davis is leading this push towards more environmentally sustainable operations within the Army. "We aim to reduce emissions and decrease energy consumption from fossil fuels while working together to achieve this goal," Davis stated. The Army has prioritized environmental sustainability across all bases, starting with Fort Bragg in North Carolina in 2001. This involved redesigning training ranges, which previously included mock towns and villages costing up to $400,000 each to construct. Davis explained that now shipping containers are being repurposed from recycled truck sizes at a cost of $25,000 each, helping to keep them out of the solid waste stream. During the early years of the Iraq war, convoys were at risk from improvised explosive devices (IEDs) due to the long supply chain from Kuwait to the battlefield, with much of the cargo being fuel. To reduce the risk to soldiers, it was logical to decrease the amount of fuel needed on the front line by implementing renewable energy sources like wind or solar power on forward operating bases instead of relying on diesel generators. This would in turn reduce the number of supply convoys targeted by IEDs. A recent study conducted on U.S. forward bases in Djibouti, Kuwait, Iraq, and Afghanistan found that a significant amount of power, over 85 percent, was being used for air conditioning. This was necessary not only for providing comfort for sleeping but also to keep communications equipment cool. The standard practice in these areas is to use poorly insulated tents and temporary buildings, which posed a challenge in keeping them cool. The solution to this was to spray foam insulation directly on tents, which reduced energy loss by 45 percent. However, reducing greenhouse emissions from Army vehicles is a separate challenge, as making vehicles like the Humvee or Bradley fighting vehicle lighter to save fuel could compromise the protection offered to troops. Davis suggested that the military may soon start using lighter armor technology, leading to more hybrid vehicles in their fleet. He also questioned the idea that the US military is a major emitter of greenhouse gases, but the Army is beginning to track their carbon emissions starting with Fort Carson in Colorado. The system revealed that Fort Carson emits 205,000 tons of carbon dioxide per year, similar to a town with 25,000 residents. The system created by Enviance, a company based in California, will eventually be implemented on all Army bases. It is currently being used by corporations and utilities in 45 countries to monitor adherence to environmental and safety regulations, according to Enviance's president Lawrence Goldenhersh.