Man breaks down mistaken claim from political party leaders: 'Propaganda'

A misinformed claim about the harm of planet-warming pollution popped up on a website before being debunked by Simcoe-Grey Greens (@simcoe_grey_greens), a climate activist on TikTok.

Carbon pollution is harmful to the environment because "too much of any substance in the wrong place" causes pollution, as the original poster cleared up.

@simcoe_grey_greens #greenscreen #misinformation #climatedenial #climatedeniers #climatedeniersbelike #co2 #natural #climate #climatechange #cdnpoli #ppc #greenpartyofcanada #climatecrisis #climateemergency #climateaction #canada ♬ original sound - Simcoe-Grey Greens

The original, mistaken claim was that since carbon dioxide is natural, it cannot be a pollutant. In the video, the creator breaks down that there are multiple definitions of pollution; however, experts generally agree (per National Geographic) that any substance that can "cause adverse change" is a pollutant. Therefore, carbon dioxide would still fit the definition of pollution.

National Geographic's definition of pollution does include natural substances such as volcanic ash: "Pollutants can be natural, such as volcanic ash. They can also be created by human activity, such as trash or runoff produced by factories."

The claim that CO₂ is not a pollutant was made by the People's Party of Canada. It said: "Despite what global warming propaganda claims, CO₂ is not a pollutant. It is an essential ingredient for life on Earth and needed for plant growth."

While carbon dioxide is natural and needed for life on Earth, the overabundance caused by human interference is where the problem lies — this is when CO₂ turns into pollution.

Simcoe-Grey Greens put it best: "It's useful to think of pollution as too much of any given substance in the wrong place — like too much caffeine in my body that makes me jittery, or too much carbon dioxide in the atmosphere adversely affects the climate."

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration reported that since the Industrial Revolution, the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere has increased by over 50%. This is considered significantly higher than the natural levels of CO₂ in the atmosphere, and it causes adverse effects such as raising the Earth's temperature.

Misinformation about climate change is pervasive. Sometimes, people are mistaken about an issue, which is why widespread climate education is necessary.

Do you worry about air pollution in and around your home? Yes — always 💯 Yes — often 😷 Yes — sometimes 😟 No — never 🙅 Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.

There are multiple ways to sharpen your understanding of climate change. Start small by talking to your family and friends regularly about climate topics. That way, you are educating others as well as learning from them.

Commenters were happy that this information was shared.

"Excess amounts of anything are typically negative!" one user agreed.

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