The Land Ethic

"We can be ethical only in relation to something we can see, feel, understand, love, or otherwise have faith in.(Leopold, p.68)"

This statement is false because we can be ethical to things we cannot understand.  We do not have to love or feel something to care about or make a difference.  Everyone has a conscious and cares about the environment to an extent. There are just different levels for each person as to how much of an effort they make. Little kids may not understand the importance of why they need to help the environment but they are taught in elementary school. There are different extremes of how much a person tries to help better the environment. Another example would be Police Officers. They may not love or understand the people they are trying to help. However,they make the ethical decision everyday to do their best to help people in danger.

[Photo From: http://www.eurostemcell.org/files/resources/ethics_road_sign.jpg]

"It is inconceivable to me that an ethical relation to land can exist without love, respect, and admiration for land, and a high regard for its value. (Leopold, P.75)" 

This statement is very true because you have to respect the environment to have high regard for its value. Farmers live off the land and have a respectful relationship because it helps feed their animals and helps grow their crops.  Natural creeks help provide water for animals. Rain helps keeps their crops alive which provides food for the animals. Grass is helpful for animals to feed and helps keep the grass cut. Without the help of nature, animals such as cows could not produce dairy, which is a base in a lot of our foods. Farmers have to care, respect, and love their land to keep it growing and their animals alive.

[Photo From: http://www.earthtimes.org/newsimage/farmers-anger-land-law-delay_226.jpg]


"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, P.75)"

The educational and economic system is starting to no longer focus on the importance of how much our actions are destroying the environment, and how to help it. Schools used to start teaching kids in elementary school how important it was to save water, keep lights off, and recycle. I remeber when I was in kindergarten and had to listen to a speaker talk about wasting water. Now they do not have time for the speaker because it 'wastes' too much time from education to teach kids how to treat the environment.

[Photo From: https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUDPwQHYc_JXU60epOxBpwF38pvfakteGoMSOJrRe0aDZVlGHPBtawPssWMBNUkadjK7hMyMuJPm0k-k_0iIs0kIKAY5N5Zuf5Hh07EZ8N3oBBVUcHFGbSkiLPKJk37b4cdbyAUUizqgv8/s1600/water.jpg]