Aldo Leopoldś ¨The Land Ethic¨

   ¨A land ethic changes the role of the Homo sapiens from conqueror of the land-community to plain member and citizen of it (Leopold, 1966 p. 866).¨ I adamantly agree with this statement. To change the downward trajectory of the worldś environment we need to change the mentality of the worldś citizens. We cannot believe the resources of this planet are ours for the taking regardless of the catastrophic effects it has on our environment. Personal greed must not come before the welfare of the planet but rather a respect for the land and a respect for our responsibilities as an environmentally conscious community. Our loyalties and affections must change from fossil fuels, needless waste, factory farming, deforestation, and cheap material products to clean renewable resources, recycling waste, organic farming, conservation, and well crafted, durable products. Its not going to be easy but that does not mean it cannot be done.

Photo provided by Internet Archive Books Images oh Flickr circa 1883

   ¨land-use ethics are still governed wholly by economic self-interest (Leopold, 1966 p. 869).¨ I would agree with this to a point only if it would be agreeable that corporate entities have ethics, particularly to the environment. Gain wealth forgetting all but self is a dominant mantra in the business community. This mantra does not invoke sentiments of ethics- land or human as there are no ethics in business only self-interest. For economic interests to take a back seat to the right of a healthy environment regulations would have to be enforced. The mentality of business, by definition, does not include the welfare of others that could be detrimental to business. There is nothing ethical about that.

Photo provided by Fulvio Barnacchia on Flickr June 5th, 2008

 

¨Perhaps the most serious obstacle impeding the evolution of a land ethic is the fact that our educational and economic system is headed away from, rather than toward, an intense consciousness of land (Leopold, 1966 p. 873)." I believe this is not so true today but it may have been true in 1949, when it was first written. I do not know how the environment was looked upon at this time collectively or how environmentally conscious educators or business people were at this time. It would be interesting to know the exact difference between the mentality of the many then and the mentality of the many today, I will, however, state it will be from the education and scientific community present and future that will improve the health of the environment. That will change our loyalties and affections and change humanity into a land ethical people.

YouTube clip provided by Arizona Game and Fish May 24th, 2012

Leopold, A., Schwartz, C. W., & Leopold, A. (1966). A Sand County almanac: With Other Essays on Conservation from Round River. New York: Oxford University Press.