Tales of PEACE: Positively Ethical Applied Community Ecology
An ecology reading list for self-isolating environmentalists
Click on the above line of text for a great reading list for budding “Positively Ethical Applied Community Ecologists/PEACE-makers” (and all others!), whether young or old!
(I have a number of these books on my shelves and in stacks around.)
The following also includes a good list or “ecological” books:
pbm
[ 7 S’s / VV->^^ ]
Soldier-A mercenary; one being paid [shillings, or sous (Latin)].
War-Indo-European word wers, to confuse.
Military–Milia or thousands. https://www.etymonline.com/word/military
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https://www.wsj.com/articles/how-the-navy-revamped-boot-camp-11585350681
Though I do have good memories of many activities, friends, experiences during my short period in Naval Air in 1969-70, I must criticize this current world of soldiers, armaments, arms, and War. We need to transform our thousands of well-trained mercenaries of confusion on this Eaarth into effective PEACEmakers who realize solidarity, sustainable livelihoods, and regeneration & conservation of resilient, sustainable ecological community … as “positively ethical applied community ecologists“.
pbm
[ 7 S’s / VV->^^ ]
Ever since the late 1960s, I have been pretty hard on big (high input/throughput, or “greedy”) transnational corporations and the biocides they produce. I believe we could have developed systems largely void of these types of misdirected institutions and their synthetic chemicals (which often have unintended consequences, especially from overuse resulting from zealous marketing) and that this would have resulted in better ecological systems (i.e., better socio-political/economic systems) than in the Anthropocene of today’s Eaarth .
Nevertheless, thus far we haven’t gone the preferred route of positively ethical applied community ecology/PEACE, a steady-state economy, and democratic eco-socialism. Therefore, I live in a broken human economy of crazy neo-liberal capitalism, including misdirected “socialism”, and in what is currently a quite fragile symbioses whose homeostasis is being seriously challenged (at least from the perspective of Homo sapiens and many of the creatures with which humans evolved).
Anyway, in this system in which I am, and in the organic landscape In which my wife and I live in an old house built in the 1920s, sometimes we have more American cockroaches living with us than we would prefer. Therefore, yesterday, I used a synthetic pyrethroid made by BASF Corporation in order to suppress the population densities of Periplaneta americana around our home. (This pyrethroid, which is “similar” to the natural compound pyrethrin extracted from Chrysanthemums, seems to be fairly safe. But it IS hard on fish, it is a weak possible-carcinogen, and it can have detrimental effects on the liver.)
Even though I used this biocide which is produced by a large transnational corporation, that doesn’t mean I won’t readily continue to point out the problems these big synthetic chemical manufacturers cause in today’s world. I will constantly battle for a better world of dynamic homeostatic symbioses.
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A number of years back, I had the pleasure of traveling and working with three particularly skilled, competent, hard-working, and personable veterinarian humanitarians in some mountain villages of Oaxaca and Veracruz. During our travels from site to site to perform our volunteer services, I kept harping on the detrimental side-affects of a parasiticide–ivermectin–which we were using, i.e., it truly does a number on manure decomposers. (In Georgia at the Coastal Plains Experiment Station, I had worked with USDA entomologist, Dr. Truman Fincher, who had done research on dung beetles down these lines. Moreover, I had seen over the years how the number of manure pats on our farm in Stockdale built up and weren’t being broken down quickly by decomposing biota when I used ivermectin as a wormer and for external parasite control.)
Therefore, during the Mexico trip we kept up an argument over the pros and cons of this “avermectin chemical” isolated from a soil bacterium and developed by Merck. And I kept emphasizing the cons!
At one location up in these beautiful Mexican mountains, I grabbed and lifted a hog for vaccination, and was overcome with a terrible piecing and prevalent itch from mites on most of the abdominal part of my body. Close by there was a bed of hierbabuena, or peppermint, and I grabbed a large handful of the leaves, crushed them as best I could in my hands, and rubbed them across my belly, but got no relief. I noticed a bottle of ivermectin nearby, quickly removed some with a syringe, squirted it on my hand, and rubbed the ivermectin over my body.
I had immediate relief!!!
However, I had absolutely no relief for the rest of the trip from a constant and nagging question (paraphrased). “Now Paul!?! Tell us! Just what do you think about this transnational corporation-produced biocide called ivermectin?”
Today one of the veterinarians with whom I had some “rough” discussions during that Mexican trip sent me this URL:
https://7news.com.au/lifestyle/health-wellbeing/anti-parasitic-drug-kills-covid-19-in-lab-c-955457
If ivermectin proves to be an effective suppressor of the novel coronavirus, I would recommend its use. And if I contract COVID-19, I would readily use ivermectin (even though it might cause some problems for Seguin’s sewage treatment plant).
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https://www.sciencetimes.com/articles/25206/20200404/anti-parasitic-drug-found-kill-covid-19-lab-within-48.htm
pbm
[ 7 S’s / VV->^^ ]
Once upon a time, a looooong time ago, there lived little boy, with a widow’s peak, named Pablo. He and his family went to Mass every Sunday. They even often went on weekdays to pray for rain.
When Pablo was a kid, the language of Mass was Latin. And Latin is the mother of many languages including Portuguese and Spanish. What that means is that these languages are all very similar.
Pablo served as an Altar Boy at Mass in elementary school. He was supposed to learn prayers in Latin and pray them with the priest in the Latin language. But Pablo was lazy and only mumbled and faked the Latin words hoping that the priest would be okay with this.
Had Pablo studied hard to learn Latin when he was young, he would be able to speak Portuguese and Spanish much better now in his old age as a Grandpa.
………………………………….
Owen, when you are older, Spanish will be spoken by many, many people in the United States and the world. It will be a very, very valuable language for you. Please learn Spanish while you are young in order to be able to talk with other people.
It is so much easier to learn checkers, chess, mathematics … and Spanish! … when you are young than when you are old and slow like your Grandpa..
Love,
grandpa pablo
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Érase una vez, hace mucho tiempo, vivía un niño pequeño, con el pico de una viuda, llamado Pablo. Él y su familia iban a misa todos los domingos. Incluso a menudo iban otros días de la semana a rezar por lluvia.
Cuando Pablo era niño, el idioma de la misa era el latín. Y el latín es la madre de muchos idiomas, incluidos el portugués y el español. Lo que eso significa es que estos idiomas son muy similares.
Pablo sirvió como monaguillo en la misa en la escuela primaria. Le dijeron que aprendiera oraciones en latín y las rezara con el Padre en latín. Pero Pablo era vago y solo murmuraba y fingía las palabras latinas con la esperanza de que el Padre no lo notara.
Si Pablo hubiera estudiado mucho para aprender latín cuando era joven, ¡podría hablar portugués y español mucho mejor ahora en su vejez como abuelo!
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Owen, cuando seas mayor, muchas personas en los Estados Unidos y el mundo hablarán español. Será un lenguaje muy, muy valioso para ti. Aprende español mientras eres joven para poder hablar con otras personas.
¡Es mucho más fácil aprender damas, ajedrez, matemáticas … y español! … cuando eres joven que cuando eres viejo y lento como tu abuelo …
Con amor,
abuelo pablo
https://nextcity.org/daily/entry/single-stream-recycling-and-china-throwing-recycling-markets-into-chaos?gclid=CjwKCAjw95D0BRBFEiwAcO1KDDHLZcjQTQtW18BxH6ED9trUY7lMB-U_TlCkda-aMUTC9GzqoFmjhBoC5OMQAvD_BwE
All through my little insignificant writings of over the last 30+ years I have generally emphasized conservation, low-input (sustainable agriculture), simple and small, sufficiency over efficiency, the Second (“Natural”) LAW of Thermodynamics, small individual and collective ecological footprints, and REDUCTION over recycling. Nevertheless, in an attempts to try and get SOMETHING done here locally, I joined in the effort to realize curbside pickup of supposedly recyclable materials including supposedly recyclable plastics as a single stream (and involving a very high input/throughput-systems and -anthropogenic energetics).
What a damn idiot!!!
I was duped into some sort of false hope by compelling and manipulative propaganda of corrupt and greedy transnational corporations (and real people therein) in our international neo-liberal capitalistic economic system! (I plan to post a little poem dealing with this which I scratched out last eve after watching this amazing Frontline production noted above. A tentative title is: The Power of Myth: The Easter Bunny, the Invisible Hand, and Plastics.)
……………………………..
Now … let’s get with a program of banning single-use plastics and other plastics in our area (and others). Let’s live through appropriate livelihoods and lifestyles and behaviors, and … conserve, reduce consumption, and lower our ecological footprints!
pbm
[ 7 S’s / VV->^^ ]
https://www.wsj.com/articles/extreme-economies-review-lets-make-a-deal-11585608850
William Easterly’s Wall Street Journal review indicates that this is a good and informative book!
All players in Nature’s Economy and its sub-set, the human economy, including individuals, demes, populations and ecological community complexes of other species need to be listened to toward “appropriate” dynamic homeostatic symbioses.
The powerful human component including domesticated species must be humble and with a small ecological footprint adhering to the Precautionary Principle.
pbm
[ 7 S’s / VV->^^ ]
Paul Martin (BS/MS-Texas A&M Univ., Ph.D.-Univ. Florida) was raised with 5 younger siblings (and worked with farmworker labor crews) during the drought of the 1950s on a very small south Texas (hog) farm near Devine, Texas—a farm which always possessed a large garden, fruit trees, chickens and a milk cow. While in Florida during the “Energy Crisis of the 1970s”, Martin researched population dynamics of natural enemies of key lepidopteran pests in a “model north Florida agroecosystem” (involving vegetable crops and wild hosts, and including studies of Trichogramma and lacewings).
Martin was significantly influenced by ecologists like E.J. Dyksterhuis (TAMU), Archie Carr & H.T. Odum (Univ. Florida) and David Pimentel (Cornell). Moreover, a considerable amount of applied ecological knowledge was developed in late night sessions with Miguel Altieri (UC Berkeley) and during years as a pasture entomologist in Georgia and Brazil. Martin learned/manipulated to the best of his abilities as sustainable agriculture coordinator, in Jim Hightower’s Texas Department Agriculture, and later taught biology/ecology at St. Philip’s College. (Martin has developed numerous research publications, essays, and reports.)
Martin’s wife taught science at Seguin High School and they are currently or were “recently” involved with various organizations and efforts toward researching, developing and promoting positively ethical applied community ecology, including some volunteer work with Siempre Sustainable Network, Ogallala Commons, Kids On the Land, Generations Indigenous Ways, HEB/Seguin ISD Youth Camps, Teatro de Artes de Juan Seguin, Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church-Seguin, Dos Pueblos-NY/Tipitapa & Episcopalian Latin American projects and other international programs, & LULAC and local community gardens … and for/with their children and grandchildren on a small “family farm” near Stockdale, TX.
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PAUL B. MARTIN, Ph.D.
605 Elm St., Seguin, Texas 78155 USA
PERSONAL DATA
Raised in South Texas; languages – – Portuguese, Spanish; leisure interests – – tennis, swimming, bicycling, dancing, canoeing, gardening. Home–605 Elm, Seguin, TX. Farm–1210 CR 427, Stockdale, TX 78160, 3 mi NE of Stockdale.
EXPERIENCE
Summary
2006-present Co-Founder Siempre Sustainable Network (Informal network); Brd. Ogallala Commons; Volunteer- Kids On the Land; Dos Pueblos-NYC/Tipitapa, Nicaragua; Episcopalian Veterinarian Services Mission, Honduras, Generation Indigenous Ways, Irma Lewis Seguin Outdoor Learning Center, etc.
2001-6 Associate Professor, Biology-Natural Sciences, St. Philip’s College
96-2001 Assistant Professor, Biology – Natural Sciences, St. Philip’s College
94-96 Instructor Full-time, Temporary Adjunct – – Natural Sciences, St. Philip’s College (had been teaching at night/when possible, since 1984)
87-94 Entomologist; Registration Specialist; IPM Specialist; Coordinator, Sustainable Agriculture; Director, Pest Management – – Texas Department of Agriculture, San Antonio/Austin
83-87 Ag-consulting; farming; teaching ecology, biology, science, writing ag-column – – South Texas
81-83 Specialist in entomology [Consultant on pasture (gramineous) spittlebug project], – – IICA/EMBRAPA, Organization of American States, (Brazil)
77-81 Pasture and small grain research entomologist and Assistant Professor – – University of Georgia, Tifton
75-77 Entomologist and field man for food processor; additional consulting – – Winter Garden area – TX
71-75 Associate in entomology and graduate research assistant working on population dynamics of looper/ “Heliothis”- pests of N. FL agricultural system – – Univ. of Florida, Quincy/Gainesville
66-69 Research Technician and graduate student working with biological and integrated control of cotton pests, TAES & USDA/ARS (suppl. income-Food Services) – – Texas A&M University
10 Yrs. Prior Various farm-related jobs in south, central, east and west Texas (Truck crops, egg-production, feed-
lot, “improved” pasture, etc.
EDUCATION
San Antonio College 65-66
Texas A&M University 64-69 B.S., Jan 1969 Entomology
Texas A&M University 70-71 M.S., Aug 1971 Entomology
Florida State University 72-73 (Statistics, Spanish) U. of Florida 71-76 Ph.D., Mar. 1976 Entomology
(SWTSU, 84-86: Texas Teacher Certificate–Composite Science, Physical Science/Biology, Spanish) (St. Philip’s College-Human Anatomy & Physiology; UNAM-Spanish)
SOCIETIES, HONORARY FRATERNITIES, ETC.
Earth Charter USA* Entomological Society of America*
Brd., Holistic Management International of Texas* SW Entomological Society
Sec., Mitchell Lake Wetlands Soc. Intern. Org for Biol. Control (IOBC)*
National Audubon Society, Sierra Club, etc. SE Biological Control Working Group*
Brd., Guadalupe Valley Habitat for Humanity* Alpha Zeta
ARPE-Ecology and Population Dynamics, Association for Farming Systems/Res.Ext.*
Biological Control, Pest Management (RPE)* Sustainable Agr. Working Group*
Soil & Water Conservation Society* Piper Professor Nominee
NISOD Excellence Award recipient, 1999 In various Marquis Who’s Who publications
Brd., Ogallala Commons Various recent awards, e.g., Humanitarian, Hispanic C of C, Church Women U., etc.
(*Formerly, not presently a member)
MAJOR ACCOMPLISHMENTS
Teaching
? Coordinated scheduling, assignments, Dual-credit activities, Biology Honors, curriculum development; taught principles of biology, Natural Sciences Dept., St. Philip’s College, San Antonio, TX
? Taught various courses/labs–environmental biology, anatomy and physiology, St. Philip’s College
? Developed portion of various short courses (management of pasture, small grain, grain sorghum arthropods), for the University of Georgia, CSAT, Cardenas, Mexico and TX Dep. of Agr.
? Taught biology, science, SCUCISD, Schertz, TX, also have participated as a substitute teacher; invitational speaker – – local schools; junior/community colleges, universities.
? Taught 8th grade Sunday religion class, Our Lady of Guadalupe Church, Seguin, TX, ca. 12 yrs.
? Assisted with various student workshops, science fairs, etc., St. Philip’s College (Science Club advisor 1996-2006, Sci. Fair Workshop Coor. 1994-2001, etc.).
? Many committees (Globalizing the Curriculum, Accreditation, Community Service Learning, Search Committees, etc.)
Writing
? Over 100 research, extension publications; numerous reports, oral presentations.
? Ag-column in several newspapers, “Speaking Freely About Agriculture”
Research – Extension – Consulting
? Coordinated first two years of formal sustainable agriculture effort-Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA); established goals, objectives, action plan; literature development; participated in Federal Farm Bill working group; initiated various sustainable agriculture projects including coordination of a tri-state sustainable agriculture project.
? Helped coordinate Task Force effort to develop sustainable agriculture effort, TDA. Also participated in reorganization of Pest Management, TDA.
? Developed research program on pasture spittlebug, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil including action thresholds.
? Collaborated in development of recommendations for southern pea, mung bean, sorghum, cotton, popcorn farmers in the Pearsall area, TX.
? Determined adequate production of a series of potential crops for northern Florida can be met through new IPM approaches, and that natural enemy regulations of pests can be very effective.
? Tested an effective artificial diet for predators (e.g. lacewings) of certain pests (e.g. cotton bollworm) of cotton and other crops.
? Managed small teams of people to programs with 50-plus staff.
Regulatory
? Responsible for enforcing laws/regulations relative to Pest Management in Texas. Review of requests/applications for pesticide registration in Emergency situations and for Special Local Needs (TDA).
? Resource entomologist for various agriculture information/needs, South Central Region, TDA.
Grants
? We submitted more than 20 grant proposals amounting to requests up to U.S. $120,000, and over, for which we received anywhere from $3,000 to $45,325 (our portion in collaborative efforts). [Also, have been involved in larger Federal Contracts.]
? Recipient Top Research Grant Award (received by several other agriculture research assistants), University of Georgia, Experiment Station, 1980.
SELECTED PUBLICATIONS/Reports
Martin, P.B. 2005. Toward Global Sustainable Livelihoods: Bringing into Texas the Krakow “On Six Legs” Science/Language/Fine Arts Concept of Education and Celebration. Final report ACCD Instructional Innovation Grant. www.accd.edu/district/iic/report-martin.doc
Martin, P.B., K. Schantz and P. Sechrist. 2003. Toward conservation and development of sustainable community (locally and globally). Proc. Coloquio Internacional de Desenvolvimento Local, Universidade Catolica Dom Bosco, Campo Grande-MS, Brazil www.ucdb.br/coloquio/arquivos/Paul.pdf
Martin, P.B. 1996. Working toward better community. Holistic Resource Management of Texas Newsletter. Fall 1996. p.5
Martin, P.B. and P. Prather. 1991. Towards a sustainable agriculture for quality life and protection of thenatural resource base. Proc. 2nd Agroforestry Conference, Aug 18-21. Columbia, MO
Martin, P.B. and P. Prather. 1991. Sustainable agriculture: a process at the community level. American J. of Alternative Agriculture. 3(1)
Abel, A., P. Prather and P.B. Martin. 1992. Sustainable agriculture and migrant farmworkers. J. Sustainable Agriculture 3(1): 99-106
Martin, P.B. and P. Prather. 1989(1990). Enhancement of the stability of southern region agroecosystems through profitable transition to sustainable agriculture. Annual Report Southern Region USDA/CSRS LISA project. 40 pp.
Martin, P.B. and P. Prather. 1989. Abstract. Biological control for sustainable agroecosystems in Texas. International Symposium on Biological Control Implementation. NAPPO Bulletin No. 6.152
Martin, P.B. 1989. Texas moves forward: IPM in a sustainable agriculture context. J. Pesticide Reform 8(4):10-12
Altieri, M.A., P.B. Martin, and W.J. Lewis. 1983. A quest for ecologically-based pest management systems. Environ. Management. 7:1-100
Martin, P.B. 1982. Insect-habitat management in pasture systems. Environmental Management 7:59-64
Martin, P.B. et al. 1981. Fall armyworm: relationships of weather and populations. Progress Report for Project No. 7003-20240-018-A. USDA/ARS grant. Jul-Sep 181. 28pp
Martin, P.B., P.D. Lingren, G.L. Greene, E.E Grissell. 1981. Parasitoid complex of 3 noctuids in northern FL cropping system: seasonal occurrence, parasitization, alternate hosts and influence of host-habitat. Entomophaga. 26:401-19
Martin, P.B., P.D. Lingren and G.L. Greene. 1983. Role of parasitoids and predators in regulating populations. In: Cabbage Looper: Factors Important to Suppression and Management of Populations. USDA Tech Bull. 1684
Gardner, W.A., P.B. Martin, and R.D. Schwehr. 1982. Efficacy of selected chemical and microbial insecticides in controlling fall armyworm in whorl-stage grain sorghum. J. Georgia Entomol. Soc. 17:518-24
Martin, P.B., P.D. Lingren, G.L. Greene, and R.L. Ridgway. 1976. Parasitization of two species of Plusiinae and Heliothis spp. after releases of Trichogramma pretiosum in seven crops. Environ. Entomol. 5:991-5
Martin, P.B., B.R. Wiseman and R.E. Lynch. 1980. Action thresholds for fall armyworms on grain sorghum and coastal bermudagrass. Fla. Entomol. 63:375-405
Wiseman, B.R., B.G. Mullinix and P.B. Martin. 1980. Insect resistance evaluating: effect of cultivar position and time of rating. J. Econ. Entomol. 73:454-7
Dmoch, J., W.J. Lewis, P.B. Martin and D.A. Nordlund. 1984. Role of semiochemicals and learning strategies of Cotesia marginiventris (Cresson). J. Chem. Ecol. 11(4):453-63
Martin, P.B. and E.F. Suber. 1982. Population dynamics and management of the lesser cornstalk borer in small grain systems. In: H.H. Tippins (ed.) A Review of Information on the Lesser Cornstalk Borer, Elasmopalpus lignosellus (Zeller). University of Georgia College of Agr. Exp. Sta. SP. 17.65pp
Pencoe, N.L. and P.B. Martin. 1982. Fall armyworm larval development and adult fecundity on five grass hosts. Environ. Entomol. 11:720-3
Tippins, H.H. and P.B. Martin. 1982. Seasonal occurrence of bermudagrass scale. J. Georgia Entomol. Soc. 17:319-21
Morrill, W.L., P.B. Martin and D.C. Sheppard. 1978. Overwinter survival of the red imported fire ant: effect of various habitats and food supply. Environ. Entomol. 7:262-4
Touchton, J.T. and P.B. Martin. 1979. Ratooning grain sorghum yield as affected by nitrogen and insecticides. Sorghum Newsletter. 22. 60-1
Martin, P.B., W.W. Koller, L.I. Zampieri, and I. Cavichione. 1982. Potentialidade e manejo de forrageiras nativas para controlar cigarrinhas. Proc. I Congresso Brasileiro de Forrageiras e Pastagens Nativas
Martin, P.B. 1983. Manejo do sistema de pastagens da regiao de Dourados-MS, para controlar os danos causados pelas cigarinnhas e melhorar estes sistemas: Manipulacao do habitat. VIII Congresso Brasiliero de Entomologia
Martin, P.B. 1983. Manejo do sistema de pastagens da regiao de Dourados-MS, para controlar os danos causados pelas cigarinnhas e melhorar estes sistemas: Ideias para o futuro. VIII Congresso Brasiliero de Entomologia
Martin, P.B. 1983. Guias de manejo de cigarrinhas em pastagens. Mato Grosso do Sul, Brasil. Boletim do Grupo de Pesquisadores de Controle Biologico. 4. 12-3
Nilakhe, S.S., P.B. Martin, et al. 1984. Sampling plans for spittlebug eggs in pastures of Brachiaria decumbens. Pesq. Agropec. Bras. 19: 934-41
pbm
[ 7Ss / VV->^^ ]
(Dec 12th, 2011 Siempre Sustainable Network meeting, 6 pm-ca.9 pm, Mosaic Community Church, 1201 W. Court Street, Seguin 78155)
First of all, the idea for tonight, I think, is not to have an academic discussion—or any discussion—of whether Mexican-Americans were the first Texan environmentalists. And we’re not here, I think, to argue about if Native-Americans—and of course many Mexican-Americans have native American blood—were or are environmentalists. Moreover next month we won’t announce a program of: “African-Americans: the World’s First Environmentalists,” though it would be easy to make such a case.
What we would like for you to reflect on a bit is:
• the inherent environmentalist nature of Mexican-Americans,
• how it has perhaps been dampened in recent times,
• and how it might be comprehensively & profoundly reignited
This is what we hope will be examined by the panel and participating audience.
[Tonight we will have a glimpse of conservation & sustainability through the eyes & lives of a few Mexican-American citizens of south central Texas. (Sustainability implies social justice, humaneness, and ecological soundness, i.e., quality life for all, including other species, for as long as possible. … Please note that in this discussion, humans are an obvious component of “the environment”.)]
In the town where I (Paul Martin) spent my formative years (Devine, Texas) many Mexican-Americans worked the fields or in other aspects of agriculture–locally & in other areas of the U.S.; many lived separate from folk who were not “Children of the (Mexican) Revolution”; for a period of time there was a separate Mexican public school; and at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, Mexican-Americans sat on the left side of the church, and folk of German, Czech, and British roots, etc. sat on the right … and there was a youth group for Mexican-Americans (CYO) & another for “Anglos” (Solidarity). I vividly remember an old Mexican-American man who lived in a very small mostly cardboard house with a wood stove near the feed mill where my Dad worked. At school, Mexican-Americans were told they couldn’t speak Spanish. …
However, these situations changed rapidly in the 1950s, 60s, and 70s, the years in which I was still mostly living in Devine.
One of the various vehicles of change in socio-political/economic (ecological) status and in the behavior & attitudes of Mexican-Americans, was military service. Author Chris Hedges has written that “War is the Force that Gives Us Meaning!” Many of my Mexican-American friends/acquaintances through the years:
• spent time in military service … many in Vietnam—and older ones in the Korean War or World War II; younger students in Iraq & Afghanistan … ;
• many worked at Kelly Air Force base, and
• many belong/belonged to various veterans organizations.
These military experiences had to have greatly affected Mexican-Americans and their perceived role in community, their attitudes toward citizens of other countries, and their attitudes about the environment around them. (Of course …
• the capitalistic economic-boom years after World War II,
• civil rights movement including what went on in Crystal City & other “Mexican-American communities”, and
• community-college & other higher-education-system opportunities
largely affected this change also.)
Questions for the panel:
When my family moved to Devine in 1951, our second house was about a mile out of city limits, across from the Peña’s home and surrounded by brushy pasture. As a young kid of about 6-7 years of age, the young Peña boys close to my age, Esteban & Alejandro, taught me about native plants in the pasture, and uses of these various plants. (Moreover, their Dad gave us gallons of horse-mint honey from his bee colonies.)
This first question is for anyone on the panel: Did you have such knowledge of native south Texas plants in your family? Tell me about the importance of such to your family, then & now.
Robert, tell me a bit about your interactions with Nature, labor intensive (sustainable?) agriculture, and the outdoors? How important was/is getting out into the outdoors and participating in outdoor activities to you?
Mary Louise, would you say Mexican-Americans are generally considered to be active in the so-called “environmental or sustainability movements?” Why or why not?
Paul Castillo, could you comment of importance of Mexican-Americans becoming more involved in “conservation & sustainability” activities? Why or why not?
Cris: How might we get all U.S. citizens/all folk more involved in conservation as well as development toward quality life for all?
Stella: How might we realize more vegetable gardens in Seguin which are truly sustainable community gardens, e.g., with more active participation by a cross-section of the community, including Mexican-Americans?
Anyone on the panel: Please add anything else which might contribute to an understanding of Mexican-American mindsets re “conservation and development of sustainable community”, e.g., importance of family, heritage, traditions, sense of community, sense of place or any other aspect.
pbm
[ 7 Ss / VV->^^ ]
Siempre Sustainable Network Programs through May 2010
(Mosaic Community Church. 1201 W. Court Street, Seguin, TX 78155)
Meetings begin w/ a pot-luck meal @ 6pm
w/ a brief business meeting and the program following.
June 8*-“Sustainable Recycling” Kass Hernandez, Bexar Waste, Schertz, TX
*Prior to this date we had presentations on: “a process of conservation & moving toward sustainable community”, “a holistic participatory decision-making process for moving toward a resilient & sustainable community”, “local/socially responsible organic farming”, “efficient & renewable energy systems”, “agricultural carbon sequestration”, “Seguin’s Walnut Creek Project”, “a Green mindset in our public schools?”, … .
July 13-“Sustainable and Just Food Systems” Sthea Mason, formerly Project Assistant at American Friends Service Committee, Austin, TX with experience in Mexico, Dominican Rep., the Middle East & Europe, … et al.
August 10-“Water Law 101: Surface Water Rights, Conservation, Reuse, & Environmental Flows” Michelle Maddox Smith, Attorney at Law, Lloyd Gosselink firms, respectively) Michelle is a Seguin-raised and University of Texas Law school graduate. (Her husband Chris was also educated at the UT Law School–and the LBJ School of Public Affairs.)
September 14-“Agricultural History & the Future of Food” Dr. James McWilliams, Assoc. Professor of History, Texas State University www.txstate.edu/history/people/faculty/mcwilliams.html
October 12-“The First Millimeter: Healing the Earth!” Film for PBS from Holistic Management International on sustainability/sustainable livelihoods, top soil sequestration of CO2, holistic grazing management, etc. with Allan Savory & Dr. James Hansen, NASA (“… our agricultural practices could be modified to bring CO2 back down much more quickly… it’s a natural type of bioengineering to get CO2 back where it came from … and that will be an important part of solving the problem.” Hansen)
*Wupperman Little Theatre, Schuech Fine Arts Center, Texas Lutheran University campus.
November 9-“Toward Holistic Ecological Literacy/Sustainable Livelihoods from Public Schools”
December 14-“Sustainable Livelihoods in Local/Global Community: How Do We Realize Quality Life for All” Facilitated discussion among Siempre Participants—and Holidays Celebration
January 11-“Effectively Dealing with Global Climate Change” Marvel Maddox
February 8- “Kilowatt Ours: A Plan to Reenergize America” Film from award-winning Kilowatt Ours Team, Nashville. “In his [film] journey [filmmaker Jeff] Barrie explores the source of our electricity and the problems caused by energy production including mountain top removal, childhood asthma and global warming. Along the way he encounters [many folk/entities] who are leading the way, using energy conservation, efficiency and renewable, green power all while saving money and the environment.”
March 8- “Yellow Bikes of New Braunfels” (A better transport system which is inexpensive, healthy and energetically- and ecologically-sound.) Shawn Soucie, Founder, New Braunfels.
April 12-“Community Gardening” Ray Stahl et al.
May 10-“Being Vegetarian” Sylvia Manning & Dr. Robin Bisha
September 13-“Environmental Justice & Related Poetry” Kamala Platt, University educator
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Siempre Sustainable Network Programs through January 2011*
(Mosaic Community Church,
1201 W. Court Street, Seguin, TX 78155)
Meetings begin w/ a pot-luck meal @ 6pm
w/ a brief business meeting and the program following.
*Prior to this date we had presentations on: “a process of conservation & moving toward sustainable community”, “a holistic participatory decision-making process for moving toward a resilient & sustainable community”, “local/socially responsible organic farming”, “efficient & renewable energy systems”, “agricultural carbon sequestration”, “Seguin’s Walnut Creek Project”, “a Green mindset in our public schools?”, Just food systems, water law in Texas, an analysis of food systems, Holistic (Grazing) Management, ecological literacy, sustainable livelihoods, global climate change, “Yellow Bike Programs”, community gardening, vegetarianism, cosmology & water, CDSC in south central Texas, environmental justice in food systems & related poetry, … .
October 11–“Guadalupe County Initiatives to Help Us Become ‘Greener’” Cesareo Guadarrama III Guadalupe County Commissioner, Precinct 2
November 8–“Zero Trash? Future of/State of Curbside Recycling in Seguin” Mary Louise Gonzales, City Council-Seguin and Tom Evenhouse, District Manager, Solid Waste Services, IESI
December 13–“Is Basic & Applied Ecology Across the Curriculum a Possibility for Seguin ISD and How Might This Be Realized?” Dr. Jolene Yoakum, Asst. Superintendent of Curriculum and Instruction, et al., Seguin ISD
January 10—“Refundable Deposits on Beverage Containers (or ‘It’s Economically & Ecologically Sound: Texas Bottle Bill 2011’)” Patsy Gillham, Director, Plastic Pollution Texas
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*Other presentations in 2011 will primarily be made on a wide range of conservation and sustainability issues by local folk involved in positively ethical applied community ecology.
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Siempre Sustainable Network Programs for 2012
(Mosaic Community Church,
1201 W. Court Street, Seguin, TX 78155)
Meetings begin w/ a pot-luck meal @ 6pm
w/ a brief business meeting and the program following.
*Prior to these 2012 programs, we had presentations on: “a process of conservation & moving toward sustainable community”, “a holistic participatory decision-making process for moving toward a resilient & sustainable community”, “local/socially responsible organic farming”, “efficient & renewable energy systems”, “agricultural carbon sequestration”, “Seguin’s Walnut Creek Project”, “a Green mindset in our public schools?”, Just food systems, water law in Texas, an analysis of food systems, Holistic (Grazing) Management, ecological literacy, sustainable livelihoods, global climate change, “Yellow Bike Programs”, community gardening, vegetarianism, cosmology & water, CDSC in south central Texas, environmental justice in food systems & related poetry, county initiatives, Zero Waste, refundable deposit legislation, a wellness campus, art & sustainability, an anarchist’s view for remaking society, support for incarcerated, global climate change policy, need for equality, watershed management, ecological economics, ways to help Mexico, and Hispanic environmentalism … .
January 9—”Partnering for a Better Seguin: TLU Center for Servant Leadership” Tim Barr, Director, Moline CSL, TLU
February 13—“Guadalupe Co. AgriLife Extension Efforts Toward Whole Community Access to Nutritious Food” Amy K. Harris, Guadalupe County Extension Agent
March 12—“Toward Quality Life for the Poor & Disenfranchised, including other Species: TLU’s Approach” Lana Urbanek, Director of Auxiliary Services and Chair of the Environmental Sustainability Committee, TLU
April 9—“RSVP: Voluntary Movement of the Guadalupe County Area Toward Quality Life for All?” Stephen Doerr, Project Director RSVP of South Central Texas
May 14—“Appropriate Food Nutrition for All” Lesli Biediger-Friedman, Assist. Professor, Health and Kinesiology, UTSA
June11–“Conservation & Sustainability in Public School Systems: A View from the Trenches” Jolly Ann Ellis, Teacher/Writer/Poet, Seguin, TX
July 9–“Development of Common Good through Public Education Systems: My View” Dee Carter, Superintendent, Navarro ISD
August 13—”Town Hall’ Meeting On Sustainable Community Gardens” Angela Ludolph, LULAC Community Garden Intern & Dr. Paul B. Martin, SSN
September 10—“Religion, Spirituality, Values and Sustainability” Pastor Tim Bauerkemper et al. Spirit of Joy Lutheran Church
October 8—“Local Candidates Forum” Seguin Mayoral & Guadalupe County Judge Candidates
November 12—“With My Own Two Wheels” Pete Silvius, Outdoor Learning Educator, Seguin ISD
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pbm
[ 7 Ss / VV->^^ ]
