Emily D'Souza- Class reading 4: Humans in the landscape chapter 3

 This chapter was quite interesting to me, and it discussed several different topics. It discussed the origin of environmental problems, which is humans conquering of nature and the institutions that enable it to happen. What was interesting to me is that it discussed how the adoption of private property is what truly transformed the landscape and how we dwell in it. “Owning” the land gives people a sense of power over it which leads to people stripping the land of it’s resources. It states that the idea of property “is a basic institution that shapes how humans treat the landscapes they inhabit.” What stood out most to me from this reading was the idea of the commons. I have ready the Tragedy of the Commons in previous political science classes, so this wasn’t a new concept to me, but it is exactly what we see in the environment today. The commons are public places that everyone can enjoy, such as national parks. However, the tragedy comes when the commons are overused and not taken care of, so then they become available to no one. An example of this can be seen in our national parks. The government designated these parks as nature for everyone to enjoy, however, the attractions, campgrounds, roads, etc. that they have placed in order to accommodate the amount of people entering have altered the environment. Not only that, but the influx of people who bring their cars and leave their waste behind have also had a negative environmental impact. There are rules and regulations in place to prevent this, but these measures don’t always work. The tragedy of the commons is the reason why we need conservation and preservation, so that the environment isn’t destroyed for future generations.