Source: Berry, Wendell. 1993. Conservation and local economy. p. 3-18. In Wendell Berry. Sex, economy, freedom, and community. Pantheon Books, New York.

With the industrialization and dislocation of the family farmer, even those who are making a living from the land are growing less and less concerned with caring for it. As producers and consumers stop thinking about the source of their food, the motivation to preserve the land decreases and sustainability is hardly ever considered. The reasons for this trend are numerous and the solutions are difficult to reach. The fact of the matter is that resources are being depleted and changes must be made. Wendell Berry begins this essay by stating the terms and limits of the relationship between humans and land. All of these center around the fact that "land cannot be properly cared for by people who do not know it." With the current trends in agriculture, we will soon exhaust our resources. Someone who is not directly involved with the land cannot realize this. In addition, our government is controlled by special interest groups unconcerned with problems such as these. One of the government's main concerns is to preserve the rights of corporations to exploit resources no matter what the cost. As a result of legislation, farm-based communities are disappearing and the environment suffers the consequences. Society must scale down its agricultural operations. It is Berry's view that society cannot keep on growing and growing, thinking its resources will never run out, all the while expecting to give the proper attention to each individual piece of land. The lack of sustainability is a cultural problem. Local economies must be developed and the exportation of raw materials must be stopped. Currently, energy and jobs are wasted by exporting local crops while importing exotic foods. A self-sufficient community has a real stake in what goes into and comes out of their local environment. In Berry's opinion, to really attain sustainability we must discourage the growing industrialization of our economy. Instead, we must promote economic self-determination, local markets, and the ability for people to support themselves, instead of relying on industry to bring jobs. It is only then that Berry feels people will have the ability to make their own decisions and give the necessary attention to fostering a more sustainable society.

Abstract Author: Samuel Rose, 25 October 1997.

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