I’m not sure whether people are so misinformed, uninformed or just plain stupid about climate change. At a store over the weekend, I had the opportunity to overhear an exchange concerning climate change, or as they so archaic and eloquently and idiotically called it, “global warming” (a phrase used totally incorrectly by the morons who deliver you news by TV, radio and print).

These two were proud, self-proclaimed examples of the typical Fox News watcher. They were discussing the “hoax” of “global warming” and how it was a ploy to kill jobs and increase taxes. I couldn’t help myself, it was just too enticing. I asked them how they knew all this and wasn’t surprised when they told me that Beck and Gibson “learned them” all about it. So I asked what the facts were. They told me that hundreds (according to Beck) of scientists disputed global warming. When I asked them to name any one, they said that they couldn’t remember the names (because NONE was ever named by Beck) but had no trouble recalling the 20 minutes Beck ranted about it. I asked them how it would kill jobs. They told me that America would have to shut down electric companies because of the pollution requirements and that would cost jobs. I did ask if the companies polluted, wouldn’t it be better if we could stop the pollution and have the companies still produce electricity using cleaner methods? This caused some confusion.

They then told me that all I needed to see the proof of the hoax was to look at the “cold weather”; that shows there was no global warming. Imagine that! Cold weather in winter! Genius!

Rather than go into more idiotic arguments they had, I asked if they knew what happened when the air warmed, especially air above the Arctic. They looked at each other and said that the snow would melt…but that wasn’t happening, they said. And the pictures of the receding ice in the north and the glaciers in Antarctica were photo shopped and that was just propaganda. Wow! I was impressed!

When I asked them what happens when a mass of air is heated they decided it rises. Good for them. They actually got one right. So then, what happens to that air when it rises? Well, they thought and said it moves. Right again, guys, and when that air moves what happens to the other air around it? Something has to move in to take its place and that causes “wind.” That wind can move pretty fast, right, guys? They agreed. And when that other wind moves, what happens? Well, it takes air from other places. Right again! This was remarkable! Air starts moving all around because some air is heated.

So if that air moves that much, what happens to the weather where the air was? This was tougher. I told them that didn’t it seem logical that the stuff that moved had to be replaced by “other air?” Yeah. And when that other air moves doesn’t it set in motion other air, from other places; cold and hot places; mountains and deserts? Yeah.

So if a large amount of air is heated, rises and moves away and other air has to take its place, tell me about the other air. Is it warm? Not necessarily. Is it cold? Actually it is. When air moves, it cools. This confused them. So I told them to use the analogy of a fire at their hunting camp. It’s nice by the fire but doesn’t the air rushing into the fire and going “up” pull colder air in? Isn't that why your backs get cold but your front is nice and toasty? And don't you have to keep turning around to get warm all over?Well, yeah. Now do you see how air that was artificially warmed can cause changes in the weather? Not quite, they said.

After pulling some hair from my head, I continued. If it’s hotter over the northeast and the air moves and other air takes its place what happens? Oh! Different weather moves in from everywhere. And because it’s winter, that air from the north is colder, right? I didn’t want to go into too much discussion about moisture in the air from the warm waters of the south and how as it cooled (because it's winter and the sun is lower and thus provides less direct radiative heat) would help the air move faster and bring rain that would turn to snow up north.

I told them the same thing happens in the summer only in reverse. Hot air rises faster and pulls in more air. Because the sun is higher in the sky, the southern U.S. is warmer and that air is pulled north making it hotter here. And the hotter it gets, the more air rises and pulls more air from the hot south and we get hotter. Just the opposite of winter.
I could see a glimmer of understanding. It went on for a while. I explained how the air patterns could change the circulation all over the world because of heated air over other cities and countries.

I explained how the chemicals in the air trapped sunlight and therefore increased heat which caused the air to rise starting the process over and over. And if we dumped more chemicals into the air, the air would trap more heat and so on.

Then I really got them going when I explained how the changes in water temperature of the oceans could cause warmer or cooler air over the water and how it would affect that mass of air. It was becoming clearer to them.

The discussion went on for quite some time and they really appeared interested. However, they still clung to the notion that what they heard on TV was true. After all, why would TV (and Fox) lie? More hair removed! I gave them some sites to view and told them to just read the information with an open mind (right!) I then told them that it wasn’t “global warming” meaning everything would get hotter, but instead the warming caused the changes in weather patterns all over the earth, air and water circulation and that affected climate; that it was really “climate change.” Oh! They could understand “climate change”, but not what caused it. Now they had a better understanding of the reasons for the changes.

I told them lastly to listen the next time someone tells them it’s all a hoax. Did the person on Fox provide names, references or facts or just make unsubstantiated statements? Then I told them when they heard “scientists” talking about it to listen closely because those scientists would provide information these two could really check on.

It seemed I made some headway. They both agreed to look into the matter with a little less cynicism. Both told me they had never had it explained to them how this climate thing worked; they just accepted the comments made on Fox, which were offered without proof.
Maybe I helped in some way to quash some of the corporate bull that Fox has spewed. Maybe I instilled a bit of questioning in them so they don’t blindly accept everything anyone says, including me. I told them to get facts from other places and decide for themselves rather than just believing what they hear on TV. Baby steps.

Now, if they just would learn about how corporations and Republicans are using them to make the wealthy even richer… and as I walked away, I heard them discussing who was on WWE that night! Maybe it's not ALL Fox's fault!

Well, one thing at a time.