Northern Arizona University/Environmental Ethics/Journals/Nicole's Journal

Journal #1

“The Land Ethic” is a part of Leopold’s book that I have studied in a few classes so far in college. Though I have studied it before, I have found a new, deeper meaning in Leopold’s words. He questions our values, our responsibilities, and our actions. Leopold asks if our moral considerations should be extended so that we will recognize a responsibility towards the land. After all, we are a part of the land; we do live on it, farm it, hunt its creatures for food, and use it to build our houses. Why should we ignore it as a separate entity that should not be respected? The land is a functioning ecological system that changes over time. If we do not respect it, the land will not continue to flourish and remain useful. According to Leopold, we need to recognize that not only are individuals connected to one another, but individuals are also connected to the biotic community. We must recognize our obligations to the land because we are part of that biotic community. What we do affects the land.

This is an important concept for humanity to consider: we should make the land part of our values system and we should extend our social conscience to the land. We should stop thinking of it only in terms of economic gain. This way, the land can be conserved and respected. Humanity needs to think of what is ethical and what is right when thinking about land use. Strong sets of values have evolved over time regarding how we treat other humans and it is time to extend those values to the land reevaluate our views towards nature. A land ethic is an important concept because the land has largely been ignored as our values and morals have evolved. Instead of just thinking of the land as something to be used, we need to think of it as a living entity and think about what is fair to the land.

I think this is the most important part of the land ethic. People who have no morals towards the land tend to abuse it and destroy it. Those who value the land may act differently by using only what they need and conserving the rest. We must love and respect the land, otherwise we may not have any land left to use. Reexamining our values in regards to land may show us a lot about our society that we have not noticed before. Perhaps by treating the land with more respect we may learn to show more respect towards others and be more appreciative of the things we have, as they were all given to us by the land. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Journal #2

The month of February spoke to me more than any other chapters so far in A Sand County Almanac. His poetic and rhythmic prose drew me in from the start. Leopold’s telling of chopping down a tree really opened my mind to new ideas. Not only was he talking about the actual physical action of cutting the tree, he was telling the story of the tree. As he cut through the trunk of the tree, each ring revealed a different event in history. Though the rings of a tree represent its age, they can also show periods of drought or fires. It is amazing how so much can be learned from just a tree trunk. The rings of a tree are like its autobiography, except more elegant and alluring. One can learn so much about natural history and the life of a giant wonder. Trees are a keeper of the past and should be appreciated as such.

This chapter shows that there is so much to learn from nature. Trees hold much of our past in its rings, and should be respected. Leopold also makes the point that we are not the only ones who are important. The rings of the tree reveal a past that is separate from human culture. The tree lives its entire life in a field while wars are going on across the world and civilization is being built nearby. This shows that humans are not all-important.

Life does just fine without us and there is plenty of history in the natural world that we do not create. This chapter is kind of humbling, as the tree holds so much of the past inside of it and yet humans think that we are the only ones with wisdom. There is much to be learned from the land that we overlook so often. By learning from and revering the land, we can better our society and ourselves. ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Journal #3

“The Marshland Elegy” may be one of my favorite sections of A Sand County Almanac. I found it to be especially heartbreaking, but engaging at the same time. I was saddened to hear how humans came in and just destroyed a beautiful natural area that was once so full of life. Leopold tells us of his love for a marsh near his home that is home to many animals, including cranes. He talks about the history of this marsh, and how it dates back to the Ice Age. There is much inherent value here because there is so much history and so many animals that call it home. But when the farmers move in because they see economic value in the land, everything is destroyed. The farmers irrigate their dry lands by creating an irrigation system out of the marsh, thus damaging the natural beauty and the entire ecosystem. Fires ravage the area and only a small area remains for the cranes to call home. The conservationists come in and try to save the area, but still cause harm to the ecosystem with roads and visitors. Though the marsh is somewhat restored, it is still damaged and may never be the same again. Leopold argues that none of this should have happened. If we would just let nature be wild as it is intended to be, the environment would be in a better condition. In order to conserve nature, we must leave it alone; leave it wild. We need to adjust our values system- instead of trying to fix everything or gain some economic value we should just let nature be. Humans are not the keepers of the land; rather we should respect it as a wonderful part of the earth and let it be wild.

Perhaps Leopold is raising the question of why we think we should be in control of nature. By adding a human factor to the previously untouched marsh, humans have changed its future forever. Instead of leaving it wild and letting the animals and plants flourish there, we have decided that it is something that we can benefit from economically and that we have the right to use it. The only value we tend to see in something is its economic value. We just want to use nature because it is ours- the previous animal tenants have no say as to how it is used. If humanity could adjust its values system, perhaps we would no longer continue to come in and conquer nature, use it, then leave the land ravaged and poor. Leopold observed how when the farmers left the land because it produced poor crops, that the only expression they showed was disgust for the smell. They felt no remorse for the devastation of the land.

Leopold continues to show us that humans have little respect for the land. “The Marshland Elegy” is a strong example of his urge for us to change our values. This chapter draws from “The Land Ethic” and gives a descriptive and heart-breaking example of our current values system. We cannot leave the land wild it seems, we have to make it our own, put our signature on it, then when it is of use to us no longer, we leave it destroyed and desolate. _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Journal #4

Mary Austen’s Land of Little Rain describes the desert as a less beautiful, less attractive place than the lush parts of the world. But even so, the desert has its own beauty and worth. Austen views the desert as a unique and amazing place that is vastly different than any other place she has been. Though the desert is almost unbearable because of the extreme heat and dryness, Austen proposes that the harsh desert can do much to improve the character of man. The desert is a vast land separated from the rest of the world, and a person can achieve peace of mind by experiencing this place.

Austen’s proposal leaves me with much to think about. There are many places in the world that are much different than the places in which we build cities and live. Though humans inhabit deserts now, this barren land was once secluded from the construction and consumption of humans because of its harsh and dangerous conditions. Now that humans know how to irrigate and harness energy, the desert has become a highly populated place in which people probably should not have ever civilized. The desert is unforgiving, but it seems even more unforgiving that people have built giant metropolises where every backyard has a swimming pool. Where does this water come from? Something else is paying the price for our desires: the environment.

Perhaps if we had taken a page from Austen, we would have preserved the desert because of what we could have learned from it. Instead of conquering it and abusing it, we could have become better people by respecting and understanding its harshness. There is still much to be learned from the desert though; maybe if I walk in Austen’s shoes, and go to a part of the desert that is still separated from the human world, I can achieve piece of mind by experiencing its unforgiving and beautiful nature. ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Journal #5

In Thoreau’s chapter entitles “Economy,” he tries to teach us that we pay attention to the things that don’t matter. He asks: What are the true necessities of life? We buy homes that are nice because that is what other people do, therefore it is right and necessary for us to do so. When we buy a house, we invest in a loan from the bank. We end up spending the rest of our lives trying to repay the bank, who is the true owner of our house. Social conventions embody ideas that have taken shap in society and we follow them blindly. Thoreau argues that we need to get away from this problem. We need to discover what is truly necessary. Owning things is not necessary for physical well being, we need something beyond that.

We don’t need to own things to be truly happy and I have come to realize this in my own life. Objects may provide use and convenience, but I find more worth in experiences and relationships. Going for a hike provides me with much more happiness and experience than watching television ever could. I own a mountain bike, which has brought me much happiness. I did not buy the bike for status or for consumer needs, I bought it for the experiences it would provide. I am able to go to places and see things I would not have been able to see without my bike, and the fact that I paid for itself brought much satisfaction. People can still own things without being selfish and consumerist. Things are not necessarily bad on their own, it is the context in which we place them that gives them a negative meaning. A person can learn so much from the world around them by making smart choices and not buying just to have things. Ignoring social conventions is important in realizing what is really important- the simple things.

I think the most important part of Thoreau's "Economy" could be when he asks what is the chief end of mankind. The pursuit of virtue is his answer, and this can only be achieved when someone understands themself and what is important in their life. The ability to recognize that the simple things in life are most important and that virtue can be achieved through simplicity can change someone's life. I feel that through a connection with nature and a desire to learn more about oneself and the world around them, a person can become more virtuous and live a simpler, more meaningful life. _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Journal #6

Throughout Walden, Thoreau urges us to find some purpose in life. We need to find what is valuable for ourselves; we cannot merely imitate our grandparents and live a life full of empty actions. We cannot accept beliefs just because they are thrown at us and have been accepted in the past by other generations. We must discover for ourselves what it is to be a person in society, and what path will lead us to virtue.

Looking at my own life this semester, I feel I have let Thoreau down. I have dedicated my life to school and work and not much else. Though school is the most important thing to me at this point in my life and I value it highly, it has overtaken all the other good aspects of my life that I have so greatly enjoyed in the past. I feel like a zombie: I wake up early, spend all day at school to come home to do a mountain of homework and then go to sleep and start all over again. Add a job to that and I have become a drone. I have made no time for myself this semester, and I feel I have missed out on experiences. Whenever I have a day off from school or work, I lay around all day to relax when I could be going for a hike or just spending the day with friends. I should stop feeling pity for myself and realize that I have great opportunities, I just have to seize them.

Perhaps I should take a page from Thoreau and find what is the purpose in my life. I know it is to work in the environmental field, but what will the greater purpose be? What will I learn from my life and others, and how will I become more virtuous? I need to take a step back and realize that killing myself over school isn’t the goal of an education, I need to take it a little easier and live more simply by not desiring physical things. Living a purposeful life will provide me with more meaning and happiness, I just have to learn to achieve that.

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Journal #7

Thoreau goes to Walden Pond to test the growth of virtue in his own soul. The Bean Field exemplified his experiment. He planted and hoed beans and cultivated the seeds of virtue. Thoreau was concerned: the virtues that were planted were worm-eaten. To solve this, he hoed the good ones and left the bad ones. But Thoreau asked: could this all be a failure? What if the seeds are sterile and infertile? What if he was a bad gardener? Thoreau asks these questions which pertain to our ability to cultivate virtue.

As long as we are in the position to recognize that our virtues need tilling in the garden of life, we are on the right track. Thoreau examines that society is built upon a set of values, and if we change those values, we can change society. This relates to Leopold’s “Land Ethic” as Leopold calls for us to change our ethics and to include the land in our values, and this will create more harmony and peace with ourselves and nature. By planting new seeds of virtue, our virtues can evolve and society can change. We need to place value in different aspects of our lives instead of worrying about social conventions. By doing so, we can cultivate new virtue in our garden. If we write these virtues into our souls, they will become a part of us. It is interesting to evaluate and analyze our current values because once they have been examined, some seem to be unimportant and unnecessary. By taking a step back, we can weed out the bad virtue and replace them with new ideas. We can become better people with simpler, more meaningful virtues and society can grow in a healthy and positive direction.

I think Thoreau makes an interesting point here. He has removed himself from society at Walden and has the opportunity to examine our values from and outsider standpoint. By taking a step back himself, he was able to understand what is important and what is not, and how we can all come to realize these things. Thoreau was so troubled with humanity that he took spent years of his life isolated from society to try and break down the problems and come up with solutions. The Bean Field is an especially important example of his efforts, and caused me to wonder about my own values. ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Journal #8

Emerson asks: Is there something deeply at work in laws of nature and morality? What is the connection between all these things in which we value? According to Emerson, we must study the principles of virtue and justice and examine that which they rest upon. Ethics asks us to identify how we ought to act and find what is good for its own sake. In order to answer this, we need to understand what an act really requires. Our obligations differ from our needs or desires at times and we must decide how to act.

The example of the philanthropist is a test for our own values and views on charity. We must decide what it really requires to be charitable. The philanthropist who walks around asking for money for the poor is acting out of selfish desires. He is trying to make himself feel better by helping the poor. Acting out of selfish motives will not help us to understand out moral obligations or principles of virtue. Instead, we must ask ourselves: how might I act? If I encountered a beggar on the street, what would I instinctively do and how would I feel? Perhaps this could avoid acting out of selfishness and self worth. According to Emerson, we owe the poor more than just money: they also deserve our respect. By collecting money, we are showing the poor that we are better than them and we remove the opportunity for them to succeed on their own. They come to expect our donations. By examining the reasons why we act certain ways, we can come to understand our values and realize how we ought to act. Perhaps the thing that connects laws of nature and morality to everything else is our ability to decide. If we can understand our instincts and use reason to explain our actions, we can decide to act certain ways that recognize our values and obligations.

The question of the beggar is one that has raised questions in myself. Growing up I was taught to not talk to or acknowledge homeless people on the street because it is not safe. I feel about the same today, I am nervous a homeless person will steal my purse or act out, thus I largely ignore them. However, I do feel bad that I am so lucky to have a positive life and that others do not share the same fortune. But if I feel bad for the poor, I don’t give them money or raise funds, I help them in other ways. I volunteered at a food pantry in high school and learned a lot from that experience. I realized that everyone is the same no matter their income or where they live. Homeless people are still personable and friendly, they just need a little extra help and compassion. All that is really necessary is to treat them with respect. ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Journal #9

I can’t seem to write enough about Self-Reliance. This essay has so much to it! Examining it even further has led me to think more about myself and my life. Emerson tries to create a case-by-case method by which we can examine our values and principles. Through examination and experimentation, our morals will be tested and the good principles will be kept and the poor ones will be weeded out. Eventually, our tested ideas will lead to abstract principles, then to moral law. If we judge in independence from the accepted moral standards, we can learn how to examine our own principles.

Thinking for ourselves is the most important step in this process. I feel so many people are afraid to think outside of the box because they fear the judgment and opinion of others. People are so keen to please others, but do they even know why they feel they need to do so? Emerson explains that it does not matter what societal norms are forced upon us, we should think for ourselves and not worry what others say; it is through self expression that we can achieve a sense of enlightenment and purpose. It is only through independence can we begin to examine the way we live and experiment with our principles. Society puts too much pressure on us to conform and live a “good” life. But what does that even mean?

I have been experimenting in my own life and have been trying to figure out what is really important to me. I have weeded out the unnecessary things and have tried to not focus too much on material things. Feeling some independence from society’s pressures to act a certain way is kind of nice. Lately, going to yoga has helped me to learn to act for myself and to live in the present. It is not important to obsess over material things or to stress myself out about not being like others. It is my independence and uniqueness that makes me who I am. In yoga class, everyone is at a different level and do not have the same abilities. My teacher tells us not to worry about how far everyone else can reach in a pose, rather it is more important to focus on our own practice and work on self-improvement. It is not necessary to worry about what others can do sometimes, it just creates unneeded stress. By focusing on the present and on my thoughts, I can become more self-reliant and in tune with my body and mind. I get so much satisfaction from going to yoga and practicing for myself. I don’t have to worry about anything else but my practice. The pressures of society do not phase me, as they are not really important. ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Journal #10

Emerson says that all laws evolve, which implies that principles of inquiry are evolving, as well as the goals. In the modern period we have come to question the goals and methods, and Emerson thinks this is great. By doing so, we rid ourselves of biases and prejudices and can make progress in our lives. He says that down deep, ideas are not static, all ideas change. He goes on to say that the oversoul is the impotence of growth of all ideas. Emerson’s most grand hypothesis is that God is the oversoul- the one unifying principle: “We see the world piece by piece, as the sun, the moon, the animal, the tree; but the whole, of which these are shining parts, is the soul.”

This essay truly interests me, as it relates to a topic that we are discussing in my Nature and Values class. All semester, we have been tackling the problem of religion versus evolution, and have discussed the role of God in other ways rather than the traditional Christian view. One scientist, Kenneth Miller, proposed that God is not active in every aspect of our lives and does not determine our fate. Instead, what God is is a unifying force. He set the ball in motion to create our world- but let life come to creation on its own and let life come about naturally as a grand experiment. Miller says that God is not active in evolution or “Intelligent Design,” whatever people believe, but that his ultimate goal was for there to be an intelligent being that could come about through natural process that could some day come to recognize Him.

The idea of God as the oversoul, as the unifying factor in life is very interesting to me. I struggle to recognize and accept the views of traditional Christianity because it just does not make sense to me. I think it is important to theorize about different methods of how the universe works, and understand that ideas, just like life, evolve. It is difficult to sum everything up into one theory, but I find it interesting how Emerson relates the evolution of ideas to the many parts of human life and of nature. All the parts are connected in an intricate balance, and underneath it all is something that allows us to learn and to grow and to reach towards goals. All life is not predetermined, we have the ability to change our ideas and our principles.