"A Sand County Almanac" was written by environmentalist Aldo Leopold in 1949. After 64 years, it still offers insight to an issue that will be forever debated. In the book, he guides the reader through the year at his farm in Wisconsin. The beautiful descriptions of nature at his farm lead up to the land ethic that Leopold proposes. He explains his ideas and views on the various issues of environmental ethics. He includes his explanation for why we should respect the land, the land's economic and ecological value, and the ethical reasons for respecting the land. Leopold explains his opinion wonderfully with much conviction. However, there has also been some heavy criticism laid upon him, and for good reason.
             Leopold's land ethic combines the earth's soils, waters, plants, and animals collectively into one community–the land. He explains that humans are not the masters of the land, but rather members of the land community. He argues that we should respect the land as we do other humans. He refers to the land as the biotic community. Since, according to Leopold, we are all members of the land or the biotic community, we are all working together as a "biotic team." He says that we abuse the land, because we regard it as a commodity that belongs to us. Instead we should see it as the community to which we belong. Once, we see that the land is a part of us, we may use it with love and respect. This is how we should treat our fellow humans. If we are, in fact, a member of the land along with nature, we should respect it the way we would like to be respected.
             Leopold goes on to explain that humans will do enough to conserve and protect the land to benefit their self and economical interest. He states that our land-use ethics are still governed completely by economic self interest. That is, we will conserve or protect just enough to do what is necessary to benefit us. Of course, Leopold feels strongly against this idea. In his id...