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Arch-rivals. We know them, we see them, we have (mostly) friendly debates around them. Ducks vs. Beavers. Starbucks vs. Dutch Bros. Coke vs. Pepsi. Each of these comparisons brings a very clear winner to the front of our minds and often evokes a visceral reaction in us.
Let me put forth another pair of rivals: environmental sustainability and heavy industry.
“Environmental champions” and “heavy industry” is not a pair you often see in the same sentence without phrases like “ravaging” or “impeding” or “chronic toxic polluters” thrown in. They seem like natural opposites — enemies, even.
But that’s changing, including right here in our backyard. And as a young parent raising a family in Lane County, I often think about what kind of community my daughter will grow up in. I want her to grow up in a place that has both climate-friendly values and a strong enough economy to build a life in.
Progress doesn’t always come from who you’d expect. Consider a few cases where some of our region’s biggest industrial players are investing real dollars and innovation into sustainability:
Sierra Pacific Industries, the Eugene sawmill on Highway 99, features a co-generation facility that turns their manufacturing residuals, bark and chips into steam. Besides using that steam to heat its kilns and dry lumber, it also powers a turbine that creates electricity for the community. In the past, bark and sawdust from the manufacturing process was sent to landfills or burned without generating these additional benefits. But now, Sierra Pacific actually produces more energy than it uses for its operations.
Another west Eugene business, SnoTemp Cold Storage, is helping strengthen the region’s energy reliability by reducing the strain on the local energy grid. Forecasts show that the Pacific Northwest could face reduced power reliability in the coming decade, with the possibility of rolling blackouts or targeted shutoffs to keep critical facilities like hospitals running. Instead of just installing new technologies, SnoTemp is using strategic energy management tools and practices at its frozen food storage facilities to maximize energy efficiency and reduce the need for EWEB to expand capacity. That helps keep rates lower for everyone, even as businesses like SnoTemp expand.
Then there’s Papé. It’s one of the largest equipment dealers in the western United States, but it’s also a leader in supporting the electrification of its supply chain across the West, from Alaska to California. Their products powered by alternative fuels like electricity, biodiesel and hydrogen, help thousands of businesses reduce emissions from their largest pieces of equipment — and their largest emission generators.
Industrial operators don’t have to be the enemy of our community’s climate-action goals. In fact, they can be a critical part of the solution. Now, to address the elephant in the room — this isn’t about giving industry a free pass. A few bad actors make it harder for those actually doing the good work, which is exactly why higher standards matter.
But here’s the uncomfortable truth: By lumping all industrial operations into the same bucket, we’re slowing down our own progress. If we want to reach our climate goals, we can’t afford to alienate the partners with the scale and innovation to help us get there.
It’s time to stop throwing sticks and stones, and start inviting them to the table. When we look closer, we often find that some of our most vilified businesses are also some of our most powerful problem-solvers.
That means leaning into conversations about well-intentioned rules meant to protect our environment with more data, more facts and more real-time local stories — not just reacting to national headlines that spark outrage and miss what’s actually happening here at home.
No one’s arguing against vital oversight and regulation. But when regulation turns into red tape, we risk delaying or even preventing the very technologies and innovations that would help us meet those environmental goals.
Neighbors, policymakers and advocates, keep pushing for accountability and bold climate action, but make room at the table for the people who build the very things we’re trying to make greener. Take a moment to look past the fences and factory walls around Eugene and Springfield. The same companies often blamed for holding us back are already helping us move forward.
The path to a more sustainable future won’t be paved by policy alone. It’ll be built through partnerships, trust and a willingness to see each other a little differently.
