Anderson+Shifts+in+Sign+Systems


 * **Shift to New Ecology**--people are realizing that humans are //part// of nature. The concept of "wilderness", with few to no humans in a large area of untouched land, is becoming less of a dream. At the same time, people are also discovering that some "natural beauty" areas were actually created or facilitated by humans--namely, the Amazon rainforest. At the same time, environmental issues such as climate change are becoming more and more viewed as human problems, too. Environmental justice is an often-used concept in terms of pollution, climate change, and dozens of other problems.


 * **Realization that environmentalism is economical**--people are starting to realize that "green" does not always mean "costs more". Insulating to prevent drafts saves more and more money as utility prices increase. Solar panels, especially with tax incentives, saves money in the long run. (Some organizations are even doing an investment scheme with this; they buy the solar panels and install them on a customer's house, the customer's rate is locked in for 30 years or whatever is agreed upon.) As more and more people realize that environmentalist practices will actually save them money, they are turning to those practices as much for the monetary benefits as for the environmentalist ones.