The US Army is actively working to reduce its carbon emissions in order to make its operations more environmentally sustainable. This effort is not only aimed at combating climate change, but also at protecting soldiers in places like Iraq where fuel convoys make them vulnerable targets. Deputy Assistant Secretary Tad Davis is leading the charge to decrease the Army's carbon footprint by 30 percent by 2015, with a focus on understanding and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. "We aim to reduce emissions while also decreasing energy usage from fossil fuels, hand in hand. The Army has been advocating for environmental sustainability across all bases, beginning with Fort Bragg in North Carolina in 2001," Davis explained. This involved altering the setup of training ranges, as Fort Bragg has historically featured mock towns and villages for combat training, each of which used to cost up to $400,000 to construct. Davis explained that now, instead of being made from new materials, the living quarters are constructed from recycled shipping containers the size of trucks, with a cost of around $25,000. This not only helps to keep the shipping containers out of the waste stream, but it also serves a practical purpose. During the early years of the Iraq war, convoys transporting supplies to the battlefield were at risk from improvised explosive devices (IEDs). Since much of the cargo was fuel, having fewer vehicles in the convoy meant less vulnerability for soldiers. By reducing the amount of fuel needed on the front line and utilizing renewable energy sources like wind or solar power instead of diesel generators, the number of supply convoys at risk of IED attacks can be decreased. A recent survey conducted on U.S. forward bases in Djibouti, Kuwait, Iraq, and Afghanistan revealed that a significant portion of the power usage, more than 85 percent, was dedicated to air conditioning. This was necessary not only for the comfort of sleeping personnel but also to keep communications equipment from overheating. In these areas, poorly insulated tents and temporary structures are common, making it difficult to maintain a cool environment. To address this issue, foam insulation was applied directly to the tents, resulting in a 45 percent reduction in energy loss. However, reducing greenhouse emissions from Army vehicles poses a separate challenge, as making vehicles like the Humvee or Bradley fighting vehicle lighter to save fuel could compromise the safety of troops. Davis suggested that there may be a shift towards using lighter armor technology in military vehicles, leading to more hybrid vehicles in the tactical military fleet. He also raised doubts about the claim that the US military is a major contributor to greenhouse gas emissions, citing the Army's efforts to track carbon emissions at Fort Carson as a step towards addressing the issue. The data showed that Fort Carson emits 205,000 tons of carbon dioxide per year, which is equivalent to a town with 25,000 residents. The system developed by Enviance, a California-based company, 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.