eth-ics eth-iks /n sing or pl 1:the study of standards of conduct and moral judgment 2: the system or code of morals of a particular person, religion, group, profession, etc.

An environmental ethic is a guiding moral principle which extends into many areas including how people treat plants, animals, and the environment around them. It shows respect for the living and non-living things in the community. As you learn more about topics concerning the environment, you will start to develop your own environmental ethic. Why is this important? Well, if you truly understand human impacts on the land; then you will be able to make better decisions about protecting wildlife and the environment upon which all life depends. Decisions are being made all the time, and in these decisions lie the answers to many environmental dilemmas.

A man named Aldo Leopold once wrote that all ethics rest upon a single premise: we are all members of a community of interdependent parts and ethics help us cooperate in the community. Mr. Leopold developed a land ethic which defined this community to include soils, waters, plants, and animals, or collectively "the land". We all need to look at our own interactions with the land and determine the possible impacts we may cause. Knowing your relationship with the land will help you make positive decisions toward it's survival. Let's find out why these decisions are so important for people and for the environment, and always remember…