Pacific Steel & Recycling recently donated $20,000 to the Pocatello Zoo for the new grizzly bear habitat it is currently constructing.  The reporters attending the check presentation ceremony at the zoo asked the local branch managers (Mike Denning and Mike Kempel) why a steel and recycling company chose to make such a substantial donation to the zoo for the enclosure.

The answer is simple.

Pacific isn’t just a company that operates within the community…the community is a place where employees live with their families, spend time with friends, and grow together with their neighbors.  Pacific is a part of the community, and the least it can do is offer assistance for its improvement.

Each of the company’s 38 branch locations acknowledge their responsibility to improve their communities and make them better places to live for all.

The EPA has proposed adding a window sticker in cars that are for sale that displays a “grade” from A to F, depending on the emissions levels of the vehicle.

Some car dealers support the idea of the sticker, but other car dealers are understandably concerned.  With the economy in such turmoil and car sales in the United States almost at a 28-year low, auto dealers are nervous about the potential for more lost business.   After all, what consumer wouldn’t be concerned if they were interested in a car and saw a “D-“ sticker in the window for some reason?  If a consumer doesn’t understand what the grade is for, it could deter them from purchasing a vehicle that gets great gas mileage on the highway, but whose emissions are a little high on the EPA’s scale.

There are a few important questions anyone can pose regarding the proposed sticker.  Number one, could the sticker create a greater strain on the livelihood of individuals who work at car dealerships?  Number two, if the sticker did create a greater strain on those dealership employees, will the economy benefit or suffer?  Number three, what steps can the EPA take to prevent risking jobs with the unemployment rate so high while protecting the environment and potentially creating a number of “green” jobs?

Any which way you look at it, there are a number of viewpoints that could be argued for or against.

It is important to recognize that the environment should be protected, but it is vital to be realistic about what steps to take to preserve it and when the most appropriate time to take those steps will be.

Either way, Pacific will gladly take your old junker and bale it up for scrap after you upgrade!