Leopold - The Land Ethic

“a land ethic changes the role of Homo sapiens  from conqueror of the land-community to plain member and citizen of it” (Leopold 60)
           

Image Source: Leopold Land Ethic

We always think of ethics as applying only to other humans. This statement implies an ethic towards the land. I agree with this quote because it implies that we respect the earth and its creatures as our equals. I feel that this is a powerful statement because it suggests that we make an effort to preserve and protect our planet. When I think about this, it just makes sense. The earth gives us so much, and many of us, including myself, take it for granted. 

“nearly a century of propaganda, conservation still proceeds at a snail’s pace.” (Leopold 62)

My Target Reuseable Bag! Photo By Christina Sabella

Companies are constantly trying to become more “environmentally friendly” or “green”. We continuously see advertisements promoting recycling, saving fuel, etc… For this reason, I disagree with Leopold and feel that conservation is moving at more of a brisk walk than a snails pace. Many companies are promoting “being green” in creative ways and providing incentives to do so. Target for example will give you 5 cents off your total purchase for each reusable bag you use instead of plastic. H&M and Starbucks are in the loop too. You can recycle your old clothes at H&M for a discount on new ones or bring a reusable mug to Starbucks to save 10 cents and a cup from being placed in the trash. Although these are only little things you can do, I believe it’s a step in the right direction and companies are doing the right thing. 

Find out more about the above on these websites:

Target's Sustainable Living

H&M's Reduce Waste

Starbucks Reuseable Cups Goals

“in our attempt to make conservation easy, we have made it trivial.” (Leopold 65) 

            Many parents, teachers, businesses 

Image Source: Teaching Conservation

 and governments are trying to make conserving the earth an easy task, however Leopold believes that we have made it trivial, or of little importance. I’d like to disagree, mostly because this article was written in 1949 & I feel a lot has changed. I believe that education is the first step in creating a more sustainable future, and this class is a perfect example. Thousands of students leave this university with the knowledge and experiences to help better out planet and create a sustainable tomorrow. I also believe that 65 years ago many people may not have been concerned with conservation because there was, what seemed like, an abundant supply of goods. Now with more technology, people can look into the future if conservation programs are not put in place. For these reasons I believe that conservation efforts are not trivial, but rather pertinent.

“One basic weakness in a conservation system based wholly on economic motives is that most members of the land community have no economic value.” (Leopold 65)

           

Image Source: Eco Friendly Production

 

 I agree with this quote. I feel that our conversation system is highly based on economics. Most big business owners believe that most things worth preserving aren’t worth much value, so in turn, they are not protected. They also believe in saving a few bucks. Often times a more sustainable production method or using better resources is more expensive than earth damaging methods. It is because of this that companies often opt for cheaper and more destructive methods.