I'm going start bringing a bit more Aldo Leopold into these blogs. Leopold isn't universally loved - philosophers and ethicists often have a problem with some of his ideals. I tend to think this is largely because they're philosophers and ethicists and not ecologists. They look at things from a vantage point that removes themselves from the ideal. That as anyone familiar with even the most basic ecology isn't possible. We, as members of the earth community are integrally woven into the fabric of life on this planet. Leopold developed "the land ethic" over a long period of time. It was published as "The Land Ethic" in 1949.
A passage from "The Land Ethic" -
A land ethic ... reflects the existence of an ecological conscience, and this in turn reflects a conviction of individual responsibility for the health of the land. Health is the capacity of the land for self-renewal. Conservation is our effort to understand and preserve this capacity.
As a society we also have a responsibility towards the health of the land. As members of God's creation we do as well ........ how's that going?
Peace,
Jeff
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