An article on Skeptical Science reports that 2015 has already seen days that contain concentration of carbon dioxide that passes 400ppm. After discussing the average level being 380ppm in class, this was a surprise for me to read. According to the writer Andrea Thompson, January 1, 3, and 7th have all seen levels over 400ppm, and we can expect to see more days like this--even so much that the average for the month passes 400ppm.
Aside from the shock that CO2 levels are really getting intense, I was surprised to see information comparing today's levels with those from millenniums of the past. Below is a chart showing CO2 concentration levels from the last 800,000 years. There's an obvious trend of fluctuation (which Thompson discusses in the article), but once you hit 1958-present, there is a clear spike far beyond even the rising norm of previous centuries. Funny how industrialism does something like that for us.
Source: http://www.climatecentral.org/news/2015-begins-with-co2-above-400-ppm-mark-18534
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