Paul Hess

Were you green before you started the Green Collar Vets program, or even before you signed up with the military?

No, I wasn't, sir. The only thing I was aware of when I came to Green Collar Vet was recycling—putting plastics and paper in the blue bin. Up until the point of meeting Jyl [De Haven, founder of Green Collar Vets] in June of this past year, I wasn't green.

How long were you in Iraq and Haiti?

I was in Haiti in 2004 for three and a half months, and in Iraq last year for seven months. In Haiti, we were in Port-au-Prince, and that was a very dirty area with no running water, no trash cans. Iraq was completely different. For the most part, it was miles of flat terrain, and cleaner than Haiti.

What was your experience like in Iraq?

As soon as you leave your main base, you're open to suicide bombers, car bombs, stuff like that. We did many operations throughout al-Rupa. We did a couple of searches through the towns and made sure that the area was as safe as we could get it before the main force went through. We didn't take any detainees. The ground forces went through and did a more detailed search. They confiscated weapons if they needed be confiscated.

In your experience, how green was the military?

I did desert training in Twenty-Nine palms in California, where the Marine Corps has a base. All the bases in California are environmentally friendly—they have trashcans designated for certain types of materials. If one of our higher-ups caught us throwing a plastic bottle or anything recyclable into regular trash cans, we would get yelled at.

Green Collar Vets has trained you to work with American Clay, an all-natural plaster that's used for interior walls and ceilings. Did you learn any new skills?

Before this experience, I had never worked a day of construction in my life—I was a lube and oil mechanic for about a year and a half. I believe that anyone can do green construction—all they have to do is they have to want to be able to learn. American Clay, the material I'm working with, is a natural plaster. The clay absorbs moisture in the air, absorbs the allergens, and acts like an air recycler.

What types of jobs have you done so far?

We're in the process right now of putting up American Clay up on a couple of walls in a soon-to-be restaurant. I'm about to start next week and put them on the inside of a poolhall.

What are some of your fellow vets doing in terms of work?

Most are going to college. Some are doing what they did before they joined. A couple are still on unemployment.

Has working for a green company made you more green in your personal life?

I want to put American Clay plaster in my house. I unplug things from the walls if I'm not using them, like my cellphone chargers and laptops. But the TV/VCR/DVD player I don't unplug.

What does being green mean to you?

Being green is just anything you can do to use less electricity, to use less water, and keep the air cleaner.

What's your eco-sin, something that you do that you know isn't green but aren't about to give up?

Going fast. My car is a Mustang GT 91. It doesn't have the smog prevention that the newer cars do. If I added this feature to my car, and brought it up to date, it would make the car slower. I've been interested in Toyota and Honda hybrid cars—I'd spend less money on gas, and having one would be a lot better for the environment.

Is being green something you look for in a girlfriend?

Not really. If my girlfriend threw plastic bottles in the trash as opposed to recycling, it's not like I'd break up with her.

Do you see yourself getting more green in the near future?

Before the Marines Corps, I used to take long showers. After being in the Marine Corps, I've cut back on water. I've already bought some fluorescent light bulbs. I don't think I'll be bringing bags to the grocery store because I reuse the plastic bags for trash bags. I'd have to take more than a few bags with me to shop anyway—I would need more like a suitcase. Then again, if I don't have a lot of groceries, I'll just carry them out.