Back To Basics

SOMETHING SMELLS!

Negros Daily Bulletin

By Tina M. Monfort

Have you ever heard of ozone? Do you know what ozone is and why it is important in the Earth’s atmosphere? 

Ozone is made of three oxygen atoms (O3). Everyone has heard of oxygen before as part of the air we breathe. Oxygen is made up of two oxygen atoms (O2). Add another oxygen atom and you have ozone. When a lot of ozone is around, a pale bluish gas can be seen. Ozone is found in two different layers of the atmosphere. The stratosphere (where many airplanes fly due to the stability) and the troposphere (where the weather occurs and which contains the air we breathe). Where we find ozone in the atmosphere determines whether we consider it to be “bad” or “good.” 

Ozone in the troposphere is an air pollutant that damages human health and plants. It is a key ingredient in smog. Ozone in the 

Stratosphere, however, is considered ‘good’ since it protects life on earth from the harmful effects of the Sun. 

The ozone layer is situated between 19 and 48 kilometers above the earth. Ozone is formed through a reaction of oxygen with sun light. This process has existed for millions of years, but the nitrogen connections that are present naturally in the atmosphere kept the ozone levels stable. On earth, a large ozone concentration would be harmful. In the atmosphere, however, the ozone is a vital condition for life on earth. It blocks harmful ultraviolet radiation from the sun from reaching us. 

The harmful effects of UV radiation or ozone depletion are well understood and include both health and economic aspects. Most notably, the more humans are exposed to UV radiation, the greater the likelihood of skin cancer. Reports suggest that a 1 percent thinning of the ozone layer can produce as much as a 5-7 percent increases in skin cancer. Other health effects include potential increased instances of cataracts and a weakening of the immune system. 

In the marine food chain, fish larvae and phytoplankton near the ocean surface are destroyed by exposure to increased levels of UV radiation. Phytoplankton is the basis of the marine food chain and is also important in the production of oxygen. 

In the 1970s scientists discovered that a substance, which had long been used in fridges, was dangerous for the ozone layer. 

These substances were chlorofluorocarbons, generally known as CFCs. When CFCs are released, they rise and are broken down by the sunlight. The chlorine reacts instantly and destroys the ozone. For this reason, CFCs are banned in many countries. 

By the beginning of the eighties scientists discovered a ‘hole’ in the ozone layer above Antarctica. This hole is not literally a hole, but an area with a lower concentration of ozone. Research has revealed that the percentage of ozone above Antarctica is generally decreasing. Ozone is now being destroyed more quickly than it can be created. When the emissions of these chemicals cease, the ozone layer will eventually repair itself. The repair will not be instantaneous. Even if all CFC emissions were immediately stopped, depletion of the ozone would continue to worsen for 15-20 years before any repair would begin. The natural rejuvenation of the ozone will be a very slow process. 

Individuals can still have an impact on ozone depletion in several ways. Avoid using gas propellants of any sort, as the long-term effects of many propellants are unknown. Let us comply with the disposal requirements for old refrigerators as identified in the Clean Air Act, have automobile air conditioners serviced in a station that recycles the fluid and have air-conditioner coolant removed from auto air conditioners before disposal. Labeling requirements of the Clean Air Act will allow consumers to choose or not, those products containing, produced with or packaged in ozone-depleting compounds. Legislation has put an end to the production and ultimate use of CFCs and other compounds. 

Individual action drives industrial action and the political process. Although 59 countries have agreed to end the production of many of these damaging substances by the year 2005, it is us individuals who will end the use of these substances through choices as consumers. Remember, when the buying stops, the production can too. 

Let’s do our share! 

Reminder: let us observe EARTH HOUR this March 28 at 8:30PM. Please turn off appliances, lights, etc. for 1 hour.*