Skyler Keith

I feel like not enough research has been done to show that "protesting with your dollars," or not buying products that don't align with your ethics, is a practical solution until it is practiced on a society-wide scale especially for widely distributed products such as palm oil. Because of this, I don't think that abstaining from the product is enough, the product must be boycotted. this is a more radical call to action, because it requires vocalizing your opinion, politicizing the issue, and creating lasting dialogue. 

I generally enjoy biking as an activity and as a mode of transportation. However, this city is NOT designed for biking. resources are far away from each other, and as florida is extremely hot most of the year it is difficult to bike to work or school if there weren't showers available on campus. This is something that can be improved in this city, because if feel that if public showers were more readily available and maintained people would feel more comfortable biking to work. 

I like to consider myself an low-cost energy user. This is because I use low energy appliances and heating/cooling systems, I do not drive a car to work or school and instead bike, walk, or ride mass transportation, and I also have low energy needs in my personal life. However, my partner is quite the opposite. His house is not energy efficient by any means, and it is a large house in comparison to his needs as an individual. He routinely makes decisions that are high in energy consumption and travels a lot for both work and pleasure. However, he does have a soft spot for environmental issues, and my next steps for saving energy is to educate him on how large his environmental impact is. He currently drives an electric vehicle which is fantastic. I think the next steps for him are to 1. reduce his energy needs, and 2. incorporate renewable energy into his property. 

While I do not have a personal connection to farmland, I am concerned about land distribution in America, and specifically Florida. According to the Florida Climate Institute, agriculture is Florida's second largest economy, and some of the largest cattle ranches are located in this state. Are these ranches an ethical use of land in our country? These are the things I think of when considering farmlands. Cattle specifically have been shown to be extremely harmful to our environment, but that is primarily attributed to our overuse of the product. It is important to consider these things when purchasing goods in the future.