From Las Vegas to the Comal: What This Week Reminded Me

There are moments in business where you zoom out—and remember why you do what you do.

Last week gave me one of those moments.

I had the opportunity to attend the ReMA 2026 Convention and Exposition in Las Vegas and sit on a panel about the connection between business and community.

And then… I came home.

Straight into Earth Day at Head Waters at the Comal.

Panelists at ReMA 2026 highlight the importance of forming meaningful connections with local communities in the industry.

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From Big Conversations to Real Ones

In Las Vegas, we talked about the future of recycling—trends, policies, and impact on a large scale.

A few days later, I was back home talking to families and kids at Earth Day.

No stage.

No microphones.

No lights.

Just real conversations like:

• “You take Christmas lights?”

• “You mean I can bring my old washer?”

• “Y’all actually pay for this?”

And that’s where it all connects.

Because this industry only works if people understand it.

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The Moment That Said It All

One of my favorite moments from Earth Day was talking to a group of kids about recycling. I told them something I say all the time:

“Old metal makes new metal… forever— as long as it gets recycled in a place like ours.”

Two kids wearing colorful hard hats eagerly explore metal recycling using toy machines on a sunny day.

You could see it click.

Not trash.

Not waste.

Possibility.

Just something waiting to become useful again.

And in that moment, it wasn’t about the process—it was about understanding that what we do actually continues something, instead of ending it.

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What We Really Do

Most people think recycling = the blue bin.

But what we do is different.

We take the things people don’t know what to do with:

• Broken Appliances

• Outdoor Furniture

• Extension cords

• Equipment

And we turn them back into something useful again.

And the best part? That impact doesn’t go somewhere far away—it stays right here in our community.

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Why It Matters

Community members of all ages gather to learn about recycling and sustainability.

Going from the ReMA Nationals Convention to Earth Day reminded me of something simple:

This industry doesn’t exist without community.

If people don’t understand it—or don’t feel connected to it—the impact stops before it ever starts.

Final Thought

That panel and that conversation with those kids?

Same mission. Different scale.

And for us at Comal Iron & Metals, the goal is to keep bridging that gap every single day.

Right here at home.