In preparation for my AP US History class this year, this summer I read William Cronon's Changes in the Land and wrote a few reflections. Below is part of the reflection that I wrote for the third and final section of the book. Although a bit random, I believe that this reflection fits into the blog well. Enjoy!

“We live with their legacy today,” says Cronon in the final paragraph of his book. Certainly, the colonists and the Indians had opposite views about how to live in a landscape, but Cronon’s remarks reflect modern day effects of these views: climate change. Now, rather than the opposite views coming from two different continents, the views are from those who are environmentally-conscious and those who are much less so. In recent years, the concept of climate change and global warming has been accepted and promoted internationally, even becoming a fad in our country. Every company touts their “green initiative,” but what does that really mean? Companies claim that they are reducing their “carbon footprint” by using recycled goods, making their packages more efficient, and using less energy. Many farms are switching to organic methods, preserving the natural health of their landscape and of their customers.