Dedication to civic duty

Courtesy Photo | An area in the Aviano community before a clean-up initiative from Airmen and civilians from Aviano Air Base, Italy, Oct. 18, 2024. A group of 12 volunteers from the base and the town of Aviano committed 30 minutes of their time, some even more, to clean up the community. (U.S. courtesy photo from Senior Airman Jesse Ilao.)  

AVIANO AIR BASE, ITALY

10.18.2024

Story by 2nd Lt. Hannah Malone 

31st Fighter Wing

Giovanna Coppola, 31st Fighter Wing community recycling liaison, hosted a briefing for service members who currently reside in the Aviano community to discuss Italian recycling laws at Aviano Air Base Area, Italy, Oct. 3, 2024.

Coppola and her team explained the purpose of each of the five recycling bins typically found in Italian homes off base, which can cause confusion for Americans living in Italy.

Two issues seen among the American population in Aviano is abandonment of waste and erroneous disposal. Abandonment of waste occurs when members leaving the Aviano community dispose of their trash improperly, leaving their items unsorted and abandoned across the community. Erroneous disposal is the dumping of trash in secluded areas.

While the bulk of the briefing focused on proper waste management, there was a moment of celebration highlighting a particular service member and his recent recycling efforts.

This summer, Senior Airman Jesse Ilao, 31st Maintenance Squadron Precision Measurement Equipment Laboratory Logistics journeyman, organized a clean-up in the town of Aviano after witnessing mass waste abandonment in his community.

Ilao gathered a group of 12 volunteers from the base and the town of Aviano, who all committed 30 minutes of their time, some even more, to clean up the community, giving the group their fitting name, “Undirty in 30.”

“As a member of the Aviano Air Base community, what drove me to lead this effort was a deep-seated commitment to environmental stewardship, strong sense of responsibility towards our community and commitment to our base and nation’s honor,” said Ilao. “Our slogan, ‘Return with Honor,’ is a constant reminder of the high standards we hold ourselves to, both in our service to our nation and in our interactions with the local community.”

Ilao works closely with recycling liaisons to help tackle problems off base, and to communicate proper recycling procedures to the American community living in Italy.

“By dedicating just 30 minutes per volunteer, while several committed more than their allotted time, we were able to make a significant difference, reinforcing the value of teamwork and the importance of working together to achieve our goals,” said Ilao. “Piu Forti Insieme, stronger together!”

In Italy, recycling is required by law and not complying may result in fines, or even a legal violation. Fines range from €50.00 - €750.00, and workers can, and do, check recycling periodically to ensure compliance.

If you are new to the community, or have questions about your specific municipalities recycling laws, call the Recycling Liaison office at [phone].

• Date Taken: 10.18.2024
• Date Posted: 10.18.2024 06:32
• Story ID: 483396
• Location: AVIANO AIR BASE, IT