Attention! Fort Barfoot Awarded $1,000 Green Grant for Recycling
The Department of Military Affairs at Fort Barfoot, near Blackstone, is awarded a $1,000 Green Grant in the Recycling Category as part of our 13th Annual Green Grants Program.
The Virginia National Guard is a unique dual-status force with a federal mission to provide a combat reserve for the U.S. Army and U.S. Air Force to fight our nation’s wars and a state mission to provide a response force that answers the call of the Governor to defend the commonwealth. Currently, Fort Barfoot uses plastic targets on their ranges during target practice. The plastic is not recyclable and creates a waste problem.
With funds provided by the Recycling Green Grant award will test a plant/hemp-based plastic target. Hemp is a sustainable agricultural crop that requires minimal resources to grow and can have a fibrous structure that acts as a reinforcement for materials. If the plant/hemp-based plastic targets are successful after testing, it will solve the plastic target waste problem, not only here in Virginia, but at other training facilities across the country.
A testing report will be provided to Keep Virginia Beautiful at the end of the trial use of the plant/hemp-based target. Records will be kept to track the weight and number of regular plastic targets that would have been sent to the landfill.
Our appreciation goes out to the soldiers who train at Fort Barfoot for their service and their concern about plastic waste!