What Makes a Recycler “Green”?
“Green” doesn’t always mean sustainable. Learn what sets SHiFT’s eco-friendly auto recycling partners apart, and how we ensure your vehicle is dismantled responsibly, safely, and with measurable climate impact.
At the heart of Florida’s Space Coast, in the city of Cocoa, Florida, lies a business that has woven itself into the fabric of the automotive-parts and recycling community: Cocoa Auto Salvage. As a partner of the SHiFT® initiative, this company embodies the kind of thoughtful, long-term commitment to customers and the environment that we champion.
Doug and Linda Lathem moved to Cocoa from Gainesville, Georgia in 1970. Doug, a mechanic at heart, always had his hands on a car — repairing one by day, racing another by night. Shortly after relocating to Florida, the Lathems seized an opportunity: they leased a gas station with repair bays. It was a gamble, but it paved the way for what would become a multi-faceted automotive enterprise.
In due time, they purchased their own full-service station (including a convenience store and deli), and expanded into towing—running low-trucks and servicing both retail and wholesale customers. Doug juggled daytime repairs and nighttime wrecker calls; Linda handled bookkeeping while working full-time at the local Coca-Cola bottling plant and raising two young children.
Then, in 1978, they founded Cocoa Auto Salvage on a few acres with just two employees. Inventory was tracked by memory. Sales were focused on local folks seeking affordable repair solutions.
Through nearly half a century of evolution, what hasn’t changed is the Lathem family’s dedication to a superior reputation—doing right by customers, employees and the community.
One of the reasons this business resonates strongly with SHiFT and our values is why this section matters:
“Green” doesn’t always mean sustainable. Learn what sets SHiFT’s eco-friendly auto recycling partners apart, and how we ensure your vehicle is dismantled responsibly, safely, and with measurable climate impact.
The SHiFT Vehicle Retirement Initiative® is focused not just on ending the life of a vehicle, but doing so in a way that maximizes environmental benefit—recovering reusable parts, eliminating future carbon emissions by ensuring certain engines are never resold, and reducing total-loss vehicles through greater parts reuse. Cocoa Auto Salvage is a natural partner in this mission.
By working with Cocoa Auto Salvage, SHiFT can point to a certified recycler in Central Florida that ticks all these boxes: local, trusted, high-volume, quality parts, rigorous environmental practices. For owners wondering How to Recycle My Car (or “how do I retire my car responsibly?”), this partnership offers a strong local option. And for parts buyers, knowing that some of those reused parts are coming from vehicles responsibly retired under SHiFT standards adds value.
It’s worth reflecting: this isn’t a fly-by-night operation. From humble beginnings in 1978 to a large inventory-driven business today, Cocoa Auto Salvage stands as a family-run legacy in the Cocoa community. Their roots — a mechanic who raced cars, a wife managing books, two kids growing up amid it all — bring authenticity.
Their mission statement speaks to being “the leading supplier of quality used auto parts … combining professionalism, integrity and an attitude of ultimate customer satisfaction … commitment to the environment and our ‘green’ policies will be evident in all operations.”
That combination of business-savvy + environmental conscience + local legacy makes them a perfect fit in the SHiFT ecosystem.
For anyone seeking to repair a vehicle affordably, or retire a car responsibly, Cocoa Auto Salvage is a partner worth knowing. They offer:
At SHiFT, it’s partners like this who make real change possible. By highlighting this collaboration, we not only reinforce the value to our network but also help bring visitors to Cocoa Auto Salvage (via their “Recycle My Car” page and parts site) — boosting their business while advancing our shared mission.