Climate change can be measured in many different ways. According to the U.S. Environment Protection Agency (EPA), scientists use satellites and other instruments to measure the amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Also, the samples of air are collected from specific places to be analyzed. For example, ancient air bubbles have been found trapped deep in the ice of Greenland and Antarctica tell us how much carbon dioxide was present on our planet thousands of years ago. Agencies like the EPA do a lot of research to gain more knowledge on past climate changes so that they can predict the upcoming climate changes.

The EPA stated there is more carbon dioxide in the atmosphere now than at any other time in 650,000 years. Furthermore, the amount of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases is continuing to increase. This is very concerning because we do not completely know what all the negative consequences will be from this increase. We are living the results right now because we see sea levels rise and ice caps melt. Many factors, such as the sun, the Earth's orbit, and sometimes even volcanic eruptions, can affect the Earth's climate.

Extra greenhouse gases in the atmosphere are warming the Earth. As seen by this chart, there has been a huge increase in carbon dioxide since 1950. This is concerning because there has not been this big of a spike in the past which leaves the future blank. We do not know what will or could happen. People need to begin thinking of alternative ways of living so that we can help the future.

Picture from http://climate.nasa.gov/evidence.