There are two different ways to help students realize that they can and do really make a difference. The first way is to throw some hard facts at them, such as how many pounds of plastic each person in the U.S. uses per year and how many pounds of coal need to be burned each year to provide electricity to the average person. Doing so will show the students why it is important for each and every person to recycle plastic and why it is important to shut off lights and other electrical appliances when they are not in use. The second way to deal with this misconception is to explain to the students that they can teach friends and family about things they can do to help the environment. Let them know that their actions will influence the actions of others.
Overpopulation is another issue that students often have misconceptions about.
They are often see and learn about people dying in wars, natural disasters and famines. The best way to clear up this misconception is to use current statistics on birth vs death rates throughout the world. For example, in 1994, the death rate was 9 per 1000 people and the birth rate was 26 per 1000 people. This equals out to an increase of about 90 million people in the world in 1994. A third misconception students often have deals with acid rain.