ukularwarhead
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Thank goodness wood is a renewable resource, eh?
Would certainly love to see more of these around...so I could play one before I pull the trigger- coolest idea ever I think
TallGrass Ukuleles
Again, cattle is why koa isn't as plentiful as it should be. Want to save a koa tree? Give up eating beef. Cited from several sources on the Internet:
Koa in NOT an endangered wood. While Koa grows only in Hawaii, it is still the second most common tree in the State. There are presently over 100,000 acres being grown commercially. Current projections of Koa industry consumption require less than 6,000 acres on a sustainable basis. Hence, there are currently significantly more acres of Koa available than the industry will use. That being said, much of the original Koa forest land from old Hawaii had been converted to cattle pastureland in the past century.
All of the growers/harvesters I know are also required to replant.
Anyone want to try playing an uke made of cow leather?
It may be the conditions all over Asia but remember that is their culture. It's not ours.
But I understand the whole "abused" thing
Who is this 'we' we're talking about?
I'm Asian-American, so yeah, I'd consider Asia that to be part of 'my culture.' Thanks for assuming that, I guess? Moreover, I don't buy cultural relativism in general, and I'm not even sure how that excuses the insane double standard we have going on here. But really, I'm fine with accepting the fact that working conditions abroad are awful. However, what others seem to be doing is NOT recognizing how bad it is over there and write it off as, 'oh, they're not REALLY abused.' That's abhorrent.
Anyone want to try playing an uke made of cow leather?
Erm, if its you that makes it, yes?! lol
Darnit, you beat me to it!
Who is this 'we' we're talking about?
I'm Asian-American, so yeah, I'd consider Asia that to be part of 'my culture.' Thanks for assuming that, I guess? Moreover, I don't buy cultural relativism in general, and I'm not even sure how that excuses the insane double standard we have going on here. But really, I'm fine with accepting the fact that working conditions abroad are awful. However, what others seem to be doing is NOT recognizing how bad it is over there and write it off as, 'oh, they're not REALLY abused.' That's abhorrent.
So far we have covered, conservation, deforesting, exploiting labor, exporting jobs, education deficiencies, and I'm sure a few more.
I figure we're a page or two from tackling world hunger and then hammering out a middle east peace plan.
Good work!
John
So you would rather have koa, mahogany, ebony, and rosewood trees rot in the jungle untouched rather than make them into ukuleles and guitars, or violins and clarinets and oboes?
What separates humans from animals is we harness the environment to improve our quality of life. We don't just sit there and let it go to waste.
I'm all for conserving and farming rare woods and exploring alternative woods, but not to the point of letting those resources just sit there. I can't think of a better use for those woods than to make high end musical instruments.
And if roads need to be cut through a jungle to get at them, so be it. There's nothing sacred about a jungle, and if there's easier transportation and communication, there would be a lot less starvation and poverty in those areas.
By the way, once those roads are no longer used, a jungle will take over the area within just a few years.
You can't assume working conditions are always horrible either. For example, I personally know that the workers at our factory get several paid weeks off for Chinese New Year and are appreciated for their expertise.
I think large corporations like Nike who have alot of unskilled labor are more likely to abuse their employees. I have a sisiter-in law that worked at a Nike factory for about $4.50 a day.
Might want to rethink the cow skin ukes http://www.renewable-energy-news.info/cow-flatulence-accelerates-global-warming/If YOU made it? abso-bloody-lutely! *grin*