http://www.treehugger.com/files/2009/01/ecuador-ecosystem-rights.php Ecuador has voted to give nature constitutional rights.
I have such odd feelings about this.
On the one hand, why does nature require protection with man's laws, when it existed for millennia prior to the existence of those laws.
On the other hand, if it's not protected by humans, it will probably be cannibalized by same.
On the other, other hand, such a law will most probably not be recognized by corporations whose profits depend on exploitation. These corporations have their own armies now, so whoever has the largest mercenary force will just keep happily doing whatever they've been doing.
On the other, other, other hand, maybe this is representative of a spark of insight awakening in the oversoul of the human race.
Ecuador has my attention...