Aldo Leopold: A Sand County Almanac: Round River, “The Land Ethic”

“Land, like Odysseus' slave-girls, is still property” (Leopold 59).

"http://unhyphenatedamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/Human-Chain7.jpg"

I am immediately struck by the brutal honesty of Leopold’s statement. The repulsion I feel for the possession of an individual faces the saddening realization that land is as “owned” as Odysseus’ slave-girls. Possession creates inequality that is then expressed in the possessor’s actions. Leopold acknowledges the growth in human-to-human ethics but reveals it does not extend to the environment. Why isn’t the environment as precious as a human life? Leopold states that movement into the “third element” of ethics it is an evolutionary possibility and an ecological necessity. I agree with Leopold’s statement and believe ethics should extend into the third element.

“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 59).

"http://www.bibliotecapleyades.net/imagenes_ciencia/industryfood02_01.jpg"

Is it possible for humans to respect the land when many hold large economic ties to it? Leopold is talking abut how people only care about our their own interests, specifically, things that render a profit. Cows give us milk, chickens with eggs, and plants can be eaten or sold. People are not concerned about the environment if it does not affect them personally. This lack of concern gives no thought to the interconnectedness of everything. Every single action will have a counter action in the future.  Humans are crippled by their close-mindedness and inability to consider the long-term consequences to their actions. When I think of the human lifespan in contrast to nature I can’t help but think how minute and insignificant a human life really is.

“Synthetic substitutes for wood, leather, wool, and other natural land products suit him better than the originals. In short, land is something he has 'outgrown.” (Leopold 76)

"http://home.allergicchild.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/genetically-modified-food-1.jpg"

Would humanity be able to separate itself from nature by producing everything in a lab? I am skeptical of the human body’s adaption to fake products. Although production of food within the laboratory setting has been around for over a decade, we are just beginning to understand and suffer the side effects. All the processed foods we consume are killing us. I do believe the human body is highly adaptable but only to a certain extent. If good generated within a laboratory, like genetically modified food, why would the market for food that is not genetically modified and organic be on the rise. With the availability of statistics on long-term health trends in this country, I do not think I’m unreasonable to claim the food people eat on a daily basis is detrimental to their health. Food production should go back to basics.

David Orr: Earth in mind: On education, environment, and the human prospect, Love it or lose it: The coming biophilia revolution

“Does it matter that we are increasingly separated from the conditions of nature?” (Orr 187).

"Artificial Connection to Nature"
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZhzuxUiU3yamQAMHOIZICJhnOKTntsAIoYDr2QbT8o7RhUUj92qAsFr2rKqPwbT1ZWRDEI5v_oBwG82SyyFAMUZMtsIO64cWS26LV0xjLhDGVQemT-TcXJ2Drl1NZphP3v5uNdIwRi7eE/s1600/nature.jpg

I believe this is a question that every human confronts living in a modern, globalized world. So, does it matter? If I am to answer this question honestly I must say I see both sides of the argument. Nature matters and conservation efforts are both beneficial and necessary, yet, we live in a world where technology is omnipresent and engrained in nearly every aspect of our lives.  For those like myself who grew up in an urban environment, a balance between biophobia and biophilia seems like the ideal goal. This would place me along the middle of the continuum and far from either extreme. I would like to live in a world where I can take advantage of technological advancement and globalization while making an effort to be ecologically conscious. 

“We, in contrast, must choose between biophobia and biophilia because science and technology have given us the power to destroy so completely as well as the knowledge to understand the consequences of doing so” (Orr 188).

"We all in this together"
https://brigitree.files.wordpress.com/2013/10/grandma-to-child.jpg?w=490

I agree with David Orr’s argument that tribal cultures were more ecologically innocent, partly due to simple and limited technologies. The technologies we currently possess are analogous to a double-edged sword. Mankind’s understanding of the science of nature has greatly increased and with this knowledge has come a greater ability to alter or destroy it. Once again I feel caught within an argument of polar extremes and ask myself can humanity exist in synchrony with nature? Call it idealism but I believe it is possible. An increase in knowledge should lead to a greater sense of ecological responsibility with the development of technologies that benefit or do not harm the natural environment.

“Is mass biophobia a kind of collective madness? In time I think we will come to know that it is” (Orr 192).

https://3sirving.wikispaces.com/file/view/recycle-hands-300x300.jpg/464159214/recycle-hands-300x300.jpg

David Orr argument against biophobia is unyielding and strong. His comparison of biophobia to a sociopathy of the masses seems like an extreme argument. I find his description of environmental “free riders” to be interesting and I can’t help but ponder the extent of lack of individual contribution and its ramifications. I live in a gated community where on Tuesdays I see my neighbors line up their normal waste and recycling and I wonder if all my neighbors choose to recycle. I realize that recycling is trivial in comparison to Orr’s argument, which extends far beyond the simple act of recycling into the fabrics of our modern society. In fact, if I were to analyze most of my surrounding I have no doubt Orr would place me amongst the biophobic’s. Nonetheless, I believe in the need for balance and feel humans have a moral obligation to care for the environment. I believe knowledge is a powerful tool that can be used to create a society that is more ecologically aware so that a modified, biophobic environment is not our sole reality.

Richard Louv: Last Child in the Woods. The Nature-Deficit Disorder and the Restorative Environment

“In one of my kindergarten classes, the kids get to run to a fence then run back. That’s their P.E.” (Louv 1).

"Getting kids playing outside with their friends might lead to healthier, more active children."
"http://www.drdavidgeier.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/Kids-playing-outside.jpg

I find it saddening and appalling that a child’s physical education course would be confined to running back and forth on a blacktop. In grade school I was required to go outside regularly during recess and physical education. This was a time where my friends and I would play ball together, run around, climb trees, and collect chestnuts that we would then throw at each other. I loved being outside and remember it being the highlight of my day. Play is the work of children and an outdoor environment that does not restrain loud, playful, and expressive behavior is vital to development. The idea of eliminating recess to support more testing within schools is absurd. With rising levels of childhood obesity you would think that promoting physical education would be a priority. Instead, we allow the percentage of students to engage in physical education to be a low 28% and offer students pre-frozen, fast food for breakfast and lunch. 

“In an agricultural society, or during a time of exploration and settlement, or hunting and gathering-which is to say, most of mankind’s history-energetic boys were particularly prized for their strength, speed, and agility” (Louv, 4).

http://www.energeticgym.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/Gymfun-at-Energetic-Gymnast1.jpg

I agree young boys and girls should be provided with an outlet for their high energy level. I remember having a hard time as a young student sitting for long periods of time in the classroom, much less concentrating for long periods of time on classwork. Even now as a 22 year-old man I find myself losing focus after an hour’s worth of lecture. I believe school systems impose their own agenda’s, test score and district placement, without taking into consideration a child’s developmental needs. Children are expected to conform to a classroom environment that rewards obedience and a calm disposition. Children, most often boys, who have high energy levels and who engage in “disruptive” and “bad” behavior are labeled by teachers and often receive negative reinforcement. Although I have not researched nature therapy for ADHD and do not personally have the diagnosis, being outside was an important part of my childhood.

“My son is still on Ritalin, but he’s so much calmer in the outdoors that we’re seriously considering moving to the mountains,” one mother tells me. Could it simply be that he needs more physical activity? “No, he gets that, in sports,” she says” (Louv 4).

"Let them Play in the Woods!"
http://playborhood.com/wp-content/uploads/kids_play_grass.jpg

I find the idea that nature, not simply the physical activities pursued outdoors, having a calming effect on a child diagnosed with ADHD to be interesting. Yet, the idea that nature is calming does not surprise me. About two years ago, my parents came to visit me from Hungary around finals week. I felt extremely overwhelmed by my scholastic obligations and my desire to spend time with my parents that I only get to see a couple times a year. My parents decided it would be fun to visit a nature trail down Six Mile Cypress in Ft. Myers. We walked down the trail and enjoyed the nature for around an hour. My stress level was significantly less than it was previous to the nature walk and it remains a special moment I shared with my parents.