My name is Jon-Paul Oliva. I’m 32 years old and live in Portland, Oregon with my wonderful partner LeeAnne and an extraordinary dog named Mika. Originally from Pennsylvania, over the past 12 years I have spent time living in New Mexico, Colorado and Arizona. I have Bachelors’ degrees in Anthropology and Biology and an M.S. in Biology.

I currently work as a Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Analyst and data management consultant on homeless issues. Prior to this, I worked in biological conservation for seven years with non-profit and government agencies as a GIS Analyst, Field Technician and Conservation Biologist.

My hobbies and interests are varied and include aikido, hiking, bicycling, landscape and nature photography, gardening, information technology, astronomy, beer and meade brewing and cooking. I love music of all kinds. I roam around the American West as much as possible. I am an animal lover. In 2004, I thru-hiked the Appalachian Trail, which turned out to be one of the most satisfying experiences of my life so far.

I have a deep personal interest in the conservation of natural places and a strong philosophical conviction that plants and animals have a right to an existence independent of humans, and that we as human beings have a duty to respect all living creatures and the ‘non-living’ earth as well. However, I am not anti-humanist or a neo-luddite. My ideas are informed by the principals of ecology, which tell me that the health and wellbeing of my individual self is intrinsically linked to the health and wellbeing of all other people, places and things. This is, in fact, a demonstrable phenomena. I believe that a re-organizing of social norms and values is in order, and is indeed necessary, to ensure not just the continuance of human existence, but the quality of essential humanity as well.

I’d like to think that this site is for more than personal catharsis. In a way, this site represents a repudiation of the cynic in me. By broadcasting information about the news and ideas I find important, I’m reaffirming my belief that with time, knowledge and compassion, we can come together as a society and overcome social ills that are the cause of violence against ourselves, against our neighbors and against nature and the earth. I struggle to live in harmony with my beliefs every day. This site is one small way that I can accord with those beliefs, by passively sharing them with others.

Readers will take issue with the opinions I express and the articles that I link to on this site. This is fine with me. I sincerely believe that we all have a right to our own ideas, beliefs and culture. A monocultural humanity would be boring anyway. What I do believe is required of us is a dialog with and a respect for each other and ourselves. This presupposes a willingness to suspend disbelief and consider the verifiable facts independent of our personal morality. Inherent in this is also a respect for the integrity of nature as well. Without a healthy natural world, none of us can really be free to pursue our personal goals, because our minds/bodies/spirits will be ailing. This begs the question, if we cannot have a healthy mind/body/spirit until we have a healthy environment, and we cannot have a healthy environment until we have a healthy mind/body/spirit, then where do we start? I believe that we start with ourselves.