Issue link: http://palletcentral.uberflip.com/i/1161332
36 PalletCentral • July-August 2019 palletcentral.com impact that wooden pallets have on the world, and then being able to relay that message to Congress, was extremely influential on my time with NWPCA. During the Fly-In, the wooden pallet industry gets to be shoulder-to- shoulder with the people who make the policy. It's a chance for our members to share not only how the industry affects themselves, but also how it affects the constituents of that district and state. My day, and the day of each member, was filled with meetings with different congressional offices. We had the undivided attention of the congressional staff to tell them about our concerns and why wooden pallets matter specifically to their office. The Congressional Fly-In also allowed for our staff and members to communicate with each other. One highlight of my internship experience was being able to witness and participate in some of the important conversations at our receptions. Hearing the different experiences of those who manufacture, transport, and recycle wooden pallets greatly altered my perspective of the wooden pallet industry. I learned how much time, money, and energy goes into the industry to keep things running smoothly. I also gained an even broader perspective of Congress and the effect of advocacy by hearing several congressional members talk about their personal experiences. My summer with NWPCA has shown me the expansiveness of the natural resources sector and the relationship it has with trade associations. Every time I walk past a wooden pallet, I think about the forest the pallet came from, what it transported, and what it will end up as. It's clear that when it comes down to it, people remember the things that are important to them. The key purpose of the communication and advocacy at NWPCA is to make constituents and congress aware of how important wooden pallets are to them as an individual and as an overall group. After all, pallets move the world. PC Grace Johnson is a student at Michigan State University, studying Political Theory and Constitutional Democracy, along with minors in French and Environmental Public Policy. She is currently interning at NWPCA. BUSINESS BLOG Every time I walk past a wooden pallet, I think about the forest the pallet came from, what it transported, and what it will end up as. It's clear that when it comes down to it, people remember the things that are important to them.