"In short, a land ethic changes the role of Homo sapiens from conqueror of the land-community to plain member and citizen of it." (Leopold, 60)
I agree with this statement because it focuses on the fact that Homo sapiens were primarily interested in colonizing land and cultivating it to demonstrate wealth and power. The more land that one group or tribe conquorered resembled the strength of their leader. Although the mindset of many are very different from one thousand years ago, there is still little change. Today in society, we need to take a step back and focus on being environmentally cautious citizens. Instead of trying to expand as a nation and gather more property, we should be putting efforts into maintaining the land that we currently have now.
"Land-use ethics are still governed wholly by economic self-interest, just as social ethics were a century ago." (Leopold, 64)
Land is definitely viewed as an economic factor as opposed to a vital life force that recirculates nutrients and energy. Based on the readings, I agree that socially we are still stuck in the mindset of the 90's era of manufacturing. Facilities used for manufacturing require a large chunk of isolated land to store their equipment as well as products. The government is aware that no one wants to live by these facilities so they chose to develop them in the middle of nowhere. This disrupts ecosystems that were once uninhabited and causes stress to the surrounding environment. Farmers who dedicate acres of their land for the cultivation and sale of produce are also adding to the problem. As long as money is involved, the land will continue to receive a beating from humans.
"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, 73)
I don't believe this issue is entirely black and white. There are some people who depend on the land for an income, however, they do their best to rejuvenate the surrounding habitat. The same goes for people who feel that land should be untouched and preserved. There needs to be middle ground when approaching this issue because both stances are too drastic.
"In short, land is something he has outgrown."(Leopold, 76)
Land is not something that the human race has "outgrown" because it's a key element in the survival of the entire species. There is plenty of land that is available, the matter is whether or not to preserve or disturb. Land preservation is important because it creates a protected environment for many species of plants and animals. In terms of use, I feel that society has been wasteful when it comes to demographics and creating housing/shopping complexes. Large property homes and three story shopping malls are not a necessity in terms of living a happy life. Both humans and nature can coexist in a way that benefits each group.
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