The ozone depletion
The ozone depletion
The ozone depletion, or ozone hole is a big problem which affects the environment and also all the people on earth. But what is it? Does this problem have a solution? And what are governments doing to reach this solution? The ozone layer is a belt of naturally occurring ozone gas that sits 15 to 30 kilometers above Earth and serves as a shield from the ultraviolet B radiation emitted by the sun which are very dangerous. Now, the problem is that the release of pollution chemicals which humans do, is damaging the ozone layer and allows large amounts of ultraviolet B rays to reach Earth, which can cause skin cancer and cataracts in humans and animals as well. Extra ultraviolet B radiation reaching Earth also inhibits the reproductive cycle of phytoplankton and some researchers also have noticed changes in the reproductive rates of young fish, shrimp, crabs, frogs and salamanders. In the past 50 years, industrialized nations heavily used chlorofluorocarbons (mainly contained in spray). Chlorofluorocarbons have the most dangerous impact on the ozone layer. When CFCs reach the upper atmosphere, they are exposed to ultraviolet rays, which causes them to break down into substances that include chlorine. The chlorine reacts with the oxygen atoms in ozone and destroys the ozone molecule. According to U.S. Environmental Protection Agency only one molecule of chlorine can destroy more than a hundred thousand ozone molecules. About 90 percent of CFCs currently in the atmosphere were emitted by industrialized countries including United States and Europe. These countries banned CFCs by 1996, and the amount of chlorine in the atmosphere is decreasing now. But scientists estimate it will take another 50 years for chlorine levels to return to their natural levels. So, what can be basically done? Not only CFC causes the destruction of the ozone molecules but other chemicals too. For the most part, this has already been done, and
The ozone depletion, or ozone hole is a big problem which affects the environment and also all the people on earth. But what is it? Does this problem have a solution? And what are governments doing to reach this solution? The ozone layer is a belt of naturally occurring ozone gas that sits 15 to 30 kilometers above Earth and serves as a shield from the ultraviolet B radiation emitted by the sun which are very dangerous. Now, the problem is that the release of pollution chemicals which humans do, is damaging the ozone layer and allows large amounts of ultraviolet B rays to reach Earth, which can cause skin cancer and cataracts in humans and animals as well. Extra ultraviolet B radiation reaching Earth also inhibits the reproductive cycle of phytoplankton and some researchers also have noticed changes in the reproductive rates of young fish, shrimp, crabs, frogs and salamanders. In the past 50 years, industrialized nations heavily used chlorofluorocarbons (mainly contained in spray). Chlorofluorocarbons have the most dangerous impact on the ozone layer. When CFCs reach the upper atmosphere, they are exposed to ultraviolet rays, which causes them to break down into substances that include chlorine. The chlorine reacts with the oxygen atoms in ozone and destroys the ozone molecule. According to U.S. Environmental Protection Agency only one molecule of chlorine can destroy more than a hundred thousand ozone molecules. About 90 percent of CFCs currently in the atmosphere were emitted by industrialized countries including United States and Europe. These countries banned CFCs by 1996, and the amount of chlorine in the atmosphere is decreasing now. But scientists estimate it will take another 50 years for chlorine levels to return to their natural levels. So, what can be basically done? Not only CFC causes the destruction of the ozone molecules but other chemicals too. For the most part, this has already been done, and