Tasha and Jim watched helplessly as their habitat was destroyed by settlers in favor of tobacco farming. People were moved into reserves where the land was infertile and overpopulated. Wildlife became easy targets to their predators. The reserves became barren because of poor cultivation methods. Dongas tore the land resulting in soil erosion and siltation. Old Order Changes is a cautionary tale geared toward preventing further destruction - if we tell children the mistakes we have made and show how our daily actions affect our environment, they can make a positive change.