Sensational headlines (about environmental issues) may have the power to scare people into action. But experts say these exaggerated claims can actually cause more harm as they may lead people to overlook the complexities of the issue. Take, for example, the widely reported claim was made by a senior UN official that the world has only around 60 years if harvests left before most of its soil becomes too deprived of nutrients to farm. Apart from being false, the headline led to the careless application of organic farming practices. Because organic farming focuses on using natural methods to grow crops without synthetic pesticides or fertilizers, it can be environmentally beneficial. However, it often results in lower harvest compared to conventional farming methods. This lower yield means that more agricultural land is needed to produce sufficient output, which may contribute to deforestation and other land use challenges. This is not to say that organic farming should be banned, but it should be approached with methods that are well-informed, rather than those based on extreme headlines.

At a shopping mall, the least popular batteries were for use in hearing aids, so conventional wisdom dictated they should be placed at the bottom of the shelves with the other unattractive items. However, it is of course old people who buy them, the shoppers least able to reach down. The batteries were subsequently moved higher on the shelves, which resulted in four times more batteries being sold. There are some products (whose prime purchasers are the elderly). What if they are placed with extra care, no higher than waist level, and no lower, either? In most supermarkets, products placed too low or too high are almost impossible for older shoppers to get. Making life easy on older shoppers creates warm feelings among a group that is often ignored, so, word will spread. The man who comes in for hearing-aid batteries will probably bring his friend who needs to buy a telephone or a computer.

Apocalypse Now, a film produced and directed by Francis Ford Coppola, gained popularity, and with good reason. The film is the adaptation of J. Conrad's novel Heart of Darkness, which is set in the African Congo at the end of the 19th century. Unlike the original novel, Apocalypse Now is set in Vietnam and Cambodia during the Vietnam War. The setting, time period, dialogue, and other incidental details are updated to the then present day, but the fundamental story line and themes of Apocalypse Now are the same as those of Heart of Darkness. Both describe a physical journey, reflecting the central character's mental and spiritual journey, down a river to confront the deranged Kurtz character, who represents the worst aspects of civilization. By giving Apocalypse Now a setting that was contemporary relevant at the time of its release, audiences were able to experience and identify with its themes more easily than they would have if the film had been a literal adaptation of the novel