The Greed of A Nation

Reading:                Excerpt from: A Sand Counnty Almanac    

    

                                The Land Ethic by Aldo Leopold

"Land use ethics are still governed wholly by economic self-interest, just as social ethics were a social ethics were a century ago" (Leopold, 1949, p. 64)

A cleared forest in Riau province, Sumatra, Indonesia. Photo by: © Alain Compost / WWF-Canon.

 This excerpt has only further supported and enhanced my argument regarding the unfair treatment of our natural world. We have taken for granted and advantage of our resources. Our self-interest has become priority. Aldo Leopold brings in the concept of a "land ethic" claiming- and rightly so- that there is still no true ethic that deals with our relation,"...to land and to the animals that grow upon it." (p. 59). Instead, a man's ethic today strictly revolves around an economic drive by further considering simple privileges but no "obligations" to the land we live and depend on. In part, however, keeping in mind that this is an excerpt dating back to 1949, our times have been changing for the better. By no means does this means that no further work needs to be done, though.

"In short, a land ethic changes the role of Homo sapiens from conqueror of the land-community to plain member and citizen of it. It implies respect for his fellow-members, and also respect for the community as such."(Leopold, 1949, p. 60).

The implementation of a land ethic is definitely a step in the right direction with bettering our lands and remedying the complete deterioration of many ecosystems due to our selfishness. This can readily seen and proved by how in the 1930's, farmers, only focused on remedial practices that showed an economic gain for themselves, Even when given the absolute freedom to write their own rules as to their land-use, farmers still selected those that were most profitable to them. It's this act of self-interest which is to this day having a dramatic ripple effect. Our ignorance to our community as a whole has been present for many years, and it's terribly sad that this is the case.

"In each field, one group (A) regards the land as soil, and its function as commodity-production; another group (B) regards the land as a biota, and its function as something broader" (Leopold, 1949, p.73)

Farmer Joe and his crops. Photo by D. Martinez

Numerous organizations throughout the years have started practices that have been showing a more ethically acceptable means of caring for land. My service learning opportunities throughout my time as a college student has certainly opened my eyes to this hope for change. The current organization my team and I are currently working with, for example, provides a perfect example of the "biotic" relationship. It further falls under the group B category Leopold presented. As I was reading through the section titled "Land Health and the A-B Cleavage", I realized how much this entire concept resonated with the farm and overall organization we are working with, called Healthy Harvest Community Farms. It's not only these farms but the practice and methods used that falls perfectly with Leopold's concept of having an "ecological conscience". Their farming techniques constitute the prime example of what a sustainable type of farming should consist of."Group B, on the other hand, sees forestry as fundamentally different from agronomy because it employs natural species, and manages a natural environment rather than creating an artificial one." (p. 73). Joe, our supervisor and CEO of a restaurant that's in co-collaboration with the farms has shown our team what a proper method of farming should be, that of which involves keeping the land as undisturbed as possible and cared for in the best possible way. By providing organic crops and fresh food to clients day in and day out, farmer Joe, is hopeful for a positive shift in land ethic and presents himself as a prime example of what a true farmer should consider.

Source: Leopold, A. (1949). Excerpt from A Sand County Almanac. In University Colloquium: A Sustainable Future. Acton, MA. XanEdu Publishing