We've always had gas

In the recent past the topic of greenhouse gas has been brought up quite a bit, especially when discussing global warming. A recent LA Times article discusses an aspect of the gas topic that possibly has not been discussed much. The article is focused on pre-industrial greenhouse gas emissions and levels of these emissions and how it may put our current use into perspective. 

"The quantities are much smaller, because there were fewer people on Earth...But the amount of methane emitted per person was significant." Obviously the levels of emissions were much smaller than today because of the way our society works today, but to hear that the amount was still significant might come as a shock to most. 

The findings come from ice cores bored out from Antarctica. As described in the article, "Conclusions were based on an analysis of ice core samples from Greenland. The layered ice columns, which date back 2,000 years, contain tiny air bubbles from different periods of history, and provide scientists with a view into the atmosphere's changing chemistry."

The main point that the article is passing on to viewers is that we should not justify our use today by saying that we've been emitting gases since even pre-industrial days but to realize a few things. Our society has multiplied the amount by huge amounts, if the pre-industrial amounts were substantial. And we need to realize that as we move forward, to ensure that our methane emissions start to slow.