By Chosalin Morales, student news writer, Office of University Communications
CAMPBELLSVILLE, Ky. – “Is the responsibility really on the consumer or should we put more pressure on the producer to be ethical about what they are selling and their resources?” Amy Berry, instructor in environmental science and Clay Hill Memorial Forest educator, said at a March 30 Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP) Zoom meeting.
Azucena Trejo Williams, assistant professor of art and design, discussed the intentionality of the purchase from the consumer, intentionality of the choice and use of materials that producers make.
Williams and Berry talked about several examples of tools and materials that artists use that could question ethics from the producers and consumers.
Paintbrushes, which are animal by-products, are materials derived from coat or fur of goats, sables, wolf, badger, squirrels, camels, etc. Berry said the ethical issue involves where some of the animals must be trapped in the wild that often involves a steel trap causing them to die for their fur which is not a humane endeavor.
Williams and Berry talked about animal use for materials and with insects plus the use of Earth’s natural resources for art. William also asked the rhetorical question, “Do the means justify the ends, do the ends justify the means or both?”
They encouraged others to do their own research on the products they are using and whether they are able to go behind the ethics when using the products.
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