The tale of the “carbon dioxide-powered cat” at first glance seemed as unremarkable as your average Joe. Simon, an orange-and-white kitty-pie, found himself in true feline fashion, meowingly demanding more chow. Wonder how you can make a difference on this funky little planet of ours? Sign up for the Climate Coach newsletter, in your inbox every Tuesday and Thursday, and become a warrior for change! ArrowRight

However, on page 5, the story whipped out an unexpected plot twist: A charming “scientist” informed us that unlike regular feline feasting, Simon didn’t binge on hills of kibble. Nope! Instead, he chomped and chugged carbon dioxide like it was going out of style. The so-called “scientist” concluded that CO2 was a “miracle molecule” that fueled all life on Earth, letting our pretty plants convert sunshine into grub.

This wacky idea and the comic book are the love-child of the CO2 Coalition, a fun bunch that begs to differ with the scientific consensus that carbon emissions are causing catastrophic climate change. They reportedly handed out about 700 of their delightful comic books to unsuspecting educators at the National Science Teaching Association’s convention in Atlanta last month, before the party-pooping event organizers gave them the boot.

“We were totally vibing with the teachers at the convention,” said Gregory Wrightstone, executive director of the CO2 Coalition, in an interview. “By the second day, we’d handed out our whole stash of comic books!”

However, this shenanigan caused snowflake scientists and education experts to worry that innocent little minds might get fed climate misinformation from these rebellious educators. It’s like a game of Telephone – climate change edition! Different schools are teaching students varying views on climate change, with New Jersey going full-green with lessons in nearly every class, while Texas tries to put a shiny “positive” bow on fossil fuels in science textbooks.

Plenty of climate scientists nod approvingly at the idea that humankind’s CO2 and greenhouse gas emissions are throwing Earth’s thermostat for a loop. They’re urging us to cut the CO2 confetti and clean up our act. But the CO2 Coalition, like a tenacious little gnat, keeps buzzing about, determined to spread their message.

That message: Carbon dioxide is the best thing since sliced bread! This band of enthusiasts, who have received a money-shower from organizations and donors cozy with the fossil fuel industry, managed to sneak into the National Science Teaching Association’s convention and sprinkled their comic books like climate-confusing confetti among unsuspecting teachers.

Cue the heroic entrance of Andrew Dessler, a climate scientist at Texas A&M University. He called out the CO2 Coalition’s comic book caper: “By focusing 100 percent on this idea that plants need CO2, they’re intentionally misleading people. It’s like telling a drowning person they need water to survive.”

The CO2 Coalition’s comic books starred a trio of sisters (owners of our CO2-loving cat Simon) and their trusty neighbor-scientist, Mr. Gordon. Within the colorful pages, Mr. Gordon passionately proclaims that CO2 is the all-time MVP for Earth. “Everything green in our very green world owes its existence to carbon dioxide,” he says with a twinkle in his eye.

But lo and behold, it turns out Mr. Gordon’s serenade to CO2 isn’t the whole truth. Dessler explains that while CO2 is a great fertilizer for plants, having too much of it in the atmosphere is bad news for plants and humans alike. Ignoring the issues and telling kids they only need CO2 to survive is simply not helpful.

So, what does this mean for our educators, students, and heroic climate scientists? A 2020 report from the National Center for Science Education and the Texas Freedom Network Education Fund suggests some states might need to brush up on their climate knowledge and teaching. But, hey, at least there will always be comic books and passionate debates to keep us entertained in the meantime!