Matt’s Soap Box

 

v    Recommended reading:

§           The Party’s Over (Heinberg, 2003).

§           Fast Food Nation (Sclosser, 2001).

v    Soapbox Items:

§           Trees Are The Answer.

§           Wood is (generally) good. 

§           We need to stop ignoring the impending peak in oil production and the end of civilization as we know it.  See http://dieoff.org/

§           Don’t generalize, unless prefixed with a clarification, such as: “In general...” For example instead of saying, “Europeans are...” in order to accurately reflect one’s opinion, one should probably be saying, “Most Europeans are...” “Many Europeans are...” or “Some Europeans are...”, or one might consider that their statement might be wrong.

§           What we need more of: self-sacrifice to serve the common good, (e.g. recycling, carpooling, bike riding, composting, public transportation, willingness to pay for environmental services, less consumptive lifestyles).

§           What we need less of: excessive consumption (superfluous driving, one-person-car commutes, industrial feedlot animal production, Super Big Gulps), an economy dependent on “growth”, attitudes, drama, fast food, and recrimination.

§           If you wouldn’t kill it, then you shouldn’t be eating it.  If you wouldn’t produce an animal the way it is being produced, then you shouldn’t be buying it. www.themeatrix.com

§           Consider these non-feedlot alternatives: Everything. Pig. Cow. Plants. Hunt. In Northern Florida.

§           Love your country, but don’t be proud.  I propose a distinction between love of country and pride in country.  If you love your country, it implies that you appreciate the good of your country, recognize the bad, and work for the betterment of your country and community.  I would discourage pride in country.  One might be proud of a country’s accomplishments (improving health care, for example).  However, to say “I am proud to be <an American, for example>” is a confrontational posture, which is useful in combat units, but otherwise can be offensive and counterproductive.   

v                            My values:

§              I reduce, reuse and recycle, and I hope you do too.

§              I practice vermiculture (composting with worms) in our apartment.

§              I own a bike instead of a car.

§              I joined the PC, and extended for a third year.

§              I don’t eat feedlot-produced animals.

§              I bought a Community Supported Agriculture share.

v    My eclectic affiliations and recognitions:

§           U.S. Peace Corps

§           U.S. Army Reserve

§           Amnesty International

§           U.S. Army National Guard

§           Green Party

§           Bowhunting Council of Oklahoma

§           Top Gun, M16A1 Rifle, HHQ Blanding, 2001

§           University of Florida Graduate Student Housing Recycling Coordinator

§           World Bank Development Marketplace Co-Finalist, 2001.

v    Our forestry project in Paraguay, Silvopasture in Paraguay

v       A favorite beer…

v       Important Spanish/English translations…

v       Porron.

v       Dancing:  People who want to dance should dance.  Similarly, people who don’t want to dance should not dance, nor should they be expected to dance, nor bothered because they’re not dancing, nor should it be assumed that they’re sad because they don’t want to dance.  I don’t ask people why they dance, and I wish people would stop asking my why I don’t dance.  Thank you.

 

 

 

 
send comments or suggestions to mateo<at>ufl<dot>edu.