Substantial improvements in environmental quality have been achieved in the last 20 years. The vehicle maintenance unit, to which I am assigned, generates thousands of pounds of hazardous and nonhazardous waste annually. As an environmental coordinator, I am responsible for the proper handling and disposal of waste from the generation point to final disposal. In addition to the task of minimizing waste levels within the unit, the expenditure of funds for hazardous material is also my responsibility. Upon initial appointment as the unit environmental coordinator, the waste levels throughout my organization were at an all time high. This posed a great dilemma that had not been addressed for many years. My first task was to cut back waste levels and conserve capital.
             An initial proposal to establish a Pollution Prevention program, also known as P2, was considered to foster an environmental mindset for day-to-day activities. Pollution prevention involves looking at what causes waste and pollution in a particular situation and figuring out the best ways to lessen waste or prevent it all together. In order to be successful, I had to obtain a commitment from my senior leadership to provide resources to carry out the implementation of P2 program. I began defining the scope of the P2 plan and determining the areas upon which to focus. Beginning with a review of current processes and procedures, I was able to identifying any inefficiencies and shortfalls. The findings afforded a basis for establishing objectives and feature P2 targets. I asked myself what I was trying to accomplish with the P2 plan. Was it reducing specific substance usage, upgrading maintenance processes, or improving entire facilities. Consulting with base environmental engineers and researching the Internet, I came up
             with some great ideas and established objectives and targets worthy of pursuit. Clarifying my obj
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