A Land Ethic Analysis

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1. What does Leopold mean when he talks about a Land Ethic? Summarize the main points of the essay.
In his essay, Leopold describe a Land Ethic as a relationship between men and and the land of social and ecological conscience which “reflects a conviction of individual responsibility for the health of the land.” (Page 11, Paragraph 6) This means a set of moral principles that prioritize the safety and preservation of the environment that are believed in by the general population. It associates a social sense of “rightness” and obligation with environmental conservation and a social sense of “wrongness” and taboo with environmental harm.
Leopold organizes his essay through the use of seven separate sections: The Ethical Sequence, The Community
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Economic self-interest and the idea of humans as , conquerors of the land still are major problems that threaten the environment, and the land is becoming increasingly unhealthy. Despite the fact that these problems are still prevalent, I do believe that the United States overall has moved closer to adopting a Land Ethic. Sustainability movements are growing, more environmental regulations and pressure have been put in place, and in my opinion, people are becoming more emotionally attached to the land. People don’t want to see endangered species disappear forever, and many some sort of sense of guilt when they knowingly do things that have ill effects on the land. I definitely believe that people have become more self-aware, and I think this is mainly because of improvements in education. In his essay, Leopold critizes the type of conservation education given in his time by saying “it defines no right or wrong, assigns no obligation, calls for no sacrifice,” and “implies no change in the current philosophy of values.” (Page 4, Paragraph 8) I believe that these aspects of conservation education have, mostly, changed for the better. Now school systems are teaching students to be active and take personal responsibility in conservation efforts in as early as elementary school. Education is also being spread through improved communications in the form of articles and videos that are spread through the use of the internet and social media. More people are becoming educated about the environment, and beginning to understand the idea that we have to protect it. The United States by no means can be said to have adopted a Land Ethic, but I think that we are definitely moving towards

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