What factor affects environmental problems and the number of choices a society can make?

Knowledge and understanding through education. When a populous is correctly informed about the impact which things like pollution through waste, recycling, energy consumption, and water usage, for example, then people can begin to make small choices and decisions which directly counteracts negative impact upon our environment. This can be communicated effectively to communities and societies by governments, on how to recycle, to have less of a carbon footprint through taking public transportation, and through using our resources more responsibly.