Promoting military environmental responsibility

As an operator of industrial plants and the purchaser of enormous quantities of materials and equipment, the military sector is able to influence the marketplace. If the military sector insists on purchasing only environmentally preferred products, the manufacturers are motivated to adjust their product line if they want to sell products to the military sector. In some countries, governments attempt to stimulate the growth of industries that manufacture environmentally preferred products by mandating that government agencies purchase only these products. With its significant purchasing power, the military sector makes these focused procurement programs effective.

With careful planning, the military sector can meet mission requirements on the ranges without significantly affecting the natural and cultural resources. Training and testing activities can be planned to avoid intrusion into sensitive areas or can be timed to permit full recovery of the vegetation or to minimize affects on wildlife during mating or birthing seasons.

Environmental requirements that are imposed upon industrial processes for non-military goods, can generally be applied to the processes for military goods, without affecting military critical performance. For example, many of the environmentally sound maintenance practices adopted for commercial aircraft are equally acceptable for high performance military aircraft.