The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources' (DNR) Sustainability and Business Support Program (SBS) is excited to announce the launch of Enviro-Nav, the Environmental Responsibility Navigator. The new online tool is designed to make environmental compliance easier for businesses across the state and includes specific information for auto recyclers to understand their environmental obligations.

Enviro-Nav is a go-to, user-friendly resource that guides users through a series of questions about their business operations. No matter if the business is new or expanding or just has compliance questions, Enviro-Nav will summarize potentially applicable environmental regulations based on the users' responses.

Enviro-Nav is a powerful support tool. It covers a full range of environmental topics, including air emissions, water use and discharge and waste management. The tool features specialized content for 18 different sectors and processes, including salvage yards. It can help identify regulatory requirements, improve the clarity of discussions with the DNR and support better decision-making during project planning and permitting. From evaluating facility upgrades, advising on site selection or investigating compliance questions regarding ongoing facility operations, Enviro-Nav can help streamline compliance efforts.

Enviro-Nav is available to all Wisconsin businesses and is an anonymous tool. Those looking for assistance with environmental regulations should review the information in Enviro-Nav to enhance compliance efforts and save time and money.

Explore Enviro-Nav today: Enviro-Nav | Your Guide to Environmental Compliance In Wisconsin Have questions or feedback? Contact the DNR's Small Business Environmental Assistance Program at DNRSmallBusiness@wisconsin.gov or call 855-889-3021. Also, be sure to check out the other Business Resources available from DNR to help businesses wherever they are on your environmental journey.

Hello everyone,

Can you believe it's already February? I love winter, but I am looking forward to temperatures above 0° for a change! We spend a lot of time talking about what our industry does. But sometimes it's worth taking a step back and talking about why it matters — not just to our businesses, but to our communities, our environment, and the people who show up to work every day.

You already know this firsthand, but here's a great article full of stats about how automotive recycling is one of the most successful recycling efforts in the country. Around 95% of endof-life vehicles in the U.S. are recycled, which means millions of cars each year are responsibly processed instead of ending up as waste. That work saves raw materials, reduces emissions, and keeps usable parts in circulation for drivers who need affordable, reliable repairs. It's practical, it's efficient, and it works.

But the impact of this industry isn't just measured in tons of steel or barrels of oil saved. It's also about the people doing the work.

Another recent piece from Auto Recycling Now explores the idea of ikigai (click here to read more)—a Japanese concept centered on finding purpose and fulfillment in what you do every day. If you need some inspiration about why you do what you do, this will help! It's a reminder that meaning doesn't come from buzzwords or trends, but from knowing your work has value. This feels especially relevant to auto recycling. The people in our yards solve real problems every day.

Here in Wisconsin, our salvage and recycling yards play a quiet but essential role. We support local economies, provide skilled jobs, help protect the environment, and keep vehicles on the road safely and affordably. That combination of impact and purpose is something worth recognizing and protecting.

Have a great February!

All the best
Annie Kauffman | CARS of WI Ex. Secretary

At the time of this writing, I find myself sitting in a great little Airbnb hanging out with my brother in Monterey, California. Nothing about this is so special, but the reason for the epic road trip that brought us here is a once in a lifetime happening. We are entered in an endurance race at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca. If you are not familiar, this is a world class racing facility and sort of a bucket list type event to participate in. As I reflect on this, I can't help but wonder, "How did I get here?" I'm struck by the simplicity of what led to this, it all started with a little two-word question: "What if?"

It started out as a very small germ of an idea, "What if we were able to race at Laguna Seca– wouldn't that be great?" And of course, the answer was that yes, it would be great, but there is no way we can do that. It's 2000 miles away, there's no way they would let a couple of nobodies just join a race at one of the country's most prestigious racetracks, and we don't even have a race car. And while all those things were true, here we are! So how does this happen? It all started with "What if?" What if there was a race series for nobodies? What if we found the perfect car on Copart that was hail damaged and without title so it would cost less? What if, what if, what if? The thing is, once we started seeking answers to these questions, or answering them ourselves, it became apparent that it was in fact possible. Not only that, but it was also attainable. So, about a year later here we are living out a dream come true.

It just very well may be possible that those two little words are some of the most powerful words we could use. What if the Wright brothers didn't say what if? Bell, Edison, Ford, Bezos and Musk all dared to say "What if?" and the outcome was world changing. What if that could be you? Not a single one of those individuals created something new, they took things existing and made them bigger and better. They implemented changes to "the way it has always been done" and shifted everything. You can probably think of other examples of where average Joes like you and I had the thought "What if?" and took the next steps to explore and then implement. THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NO REASON THAT COULD NOT BE YOU!

This has me thinking how often we miss out on things because we fail to ask, "What if?"

What if…

We could find a way to increase sales by 10 percent without raising overhead?

We added to our delivery route?

Added a sales position?

Found a way to lower costs without hurting sales?

What if we created an entirely new way to extract meaningful amounts of revenue from recycled vehicles?

You fill in the blanks. What if you were intentional about taking the time to ask your team "What if?" In this new year, I want to encourage you to be intentional about looking ahead and then implementing some of the solutions to the "What ifs?". Break it into baby steps. Just as we didn't decide to do this race and then just show up. A multi-part plan was written and then executed in small easily attained steps. You can do this in your business and/or your personal life. I am convinced that even if you do not become the next overnight success story, whatever you learn from it will open up a whole new world.