How come we don't here about ozone layer problems anymore? Is it because it was made up like global warming?

Question

Sorry, I may need to clarify. The fact is there is no actual evidence that humans caused the ozone layer “problems” that whipped the news reporters into a frenzy in the 80’s and 90’s, it just kind of became last weeks news. But why stop reporting what is going on and showing the graphics on the nightly news? This is more of a news question than a science question.

P.S. Everyone knows the earth is constantly changing (remember the ice ages coming and going? Noah’s ark?) Just because a bunch of people agree on something does not mean it is scientifically true, so don’t get to elitist in your answers. Accepting man caused ozone layer problems because someone told you it was true is “faith” not “science”

Answer 1

It is tough to say, but like the problem of global warming, there is no conclusive evidence to make any kind of cause and effect coorolation. The earth's temperature has never remained constant. In fact, one thing I learned in a Meteorology class (and again in a Geology class) is that the earth is still cooler than it was in the year 1000. Obviously we were not burning fossil fuels 1000 years ago, but yet the earth was still warmer. Nobody knows for sure why the earth has since cooled off.

With the O-zone layer, we would have never seen a hole in it in the 80's or earlier simply because we never had the technology to see the hole (it was first seen in 1990). So it may have always been there. But I am sure that a team of scientists wanted some funding to study it so they published some reports about how devistating this could be. With the media (many reporters don't know the first thing about science) and people being scared about this story, politicians cashed in on people's fears (in the form of research funding). And since this story was told by scientists, it just had to be true (because people think that scientists will never stretch the truth to get federal research funding).

You also have to realize that many people watch the weather report everyday. If there is any above average weather, the newscasters often say that it is because of global warming (even though most reporters know very little about science, but they love to scare people with sensational stories). People hear about hurricanes when they strike. The media blames global warming for it. So I would say the biggest reason we hear about global warming is that we are often reminded of the current weather condidtions.

This probably has nothing to do with science because, as I said, most reporters know about as much about science as the average person, and it makes for a great story if they talk about the earth coming to an end.

Answer 2

The ozone problem was largely the result of CFCs or cloroflorocarbons used in refrigeration and air conditioning, propellants of aerosol cans, and some chemical manufacture of styrofoam and related products. These CFC molecules would enter the air and act as catylists to degrade ozone. Since they were stable, and acted to change something else (ozone), the damage was being done at "low" concentrations of the CFCs.

There was an international agreement to stop the manufacture of CFCs and their use has fallen drastically. Most of the functions formerly performed by CFC containing chemicals can now be done with other chemicals. Although there are other problems confronting the ozone layer the CFC problem was the most significant and has been largely solved in the short term. Although the ozone layer may still be getting "worse" (ie less ozone), it is not getting worse at a very rapid rate as in the past.

On the other hand even if Kyoto accord had been approved by everyone and implemented, there would still be huge ammounts of CO2 entering the air and causing the global warming problem. Unlike the CFC problem there is too much of our economy and lives tied to CO2 producing activities for an "easy" solution as was the case with CFCs. The magnitude of the CO2 problem is much larger than the CFC problem as the CO2 concentration in the air is thousands of times the CFC concentrations. The effect of a single CFC molecule may be worse than a single CO2, but reducing the relatively few CFCs was not difficult for the economy.

Answer 3

I am a conservation biologist, so I have a fairly good understanding of the earth and our natural resources. Yes an ice age will happen eventually even without mans help. But the key word is eventually, as in a few thousand years. What man is doing is helping to destroy the ozone layer faster than it can repair itself, thus speeding up global warming. CFC's released into the atmosphere deplete the ozone layer because of the chlorine. One chlorine atom can destroy up to 100 ozone molecules, by bonding to the ozone molecule and breaking off one of the Oxygen molecules.
Global Warming is not made up. It is very real.

Answer 4

What I find interesting about your question is the epistemological aspect of it. I agree very much that sometimes there is an elemente of faith with "scientific facts", specially from the general public's point of view. However, that would be pretty much the case with just about every scientific and technological advance we've made. How many people understand the biochemistry of, lets say, Advil? Or, the forces involved in keeping a cantilevered bridge from falling. In a very real way, it is only our faith in what a group of people say that will have us believing those scientific facts.

As opposed to the general public, true experts in each field don't (or shouldn't) believe in ANYTHING to be the Truth. They are always working theories that should be readily tossed out as soon as a better one comes around, as Popper suggests.

The only problem I have with your statement is that it also requires a huge amount of faith to deny anything. Possibly more so.

Answer 5

The ozone layer with the holes in it is perfectly normal. The ozone layer is where the solar winds and our magnetic field collides. Never had anything to do with CFC . They don't go that in the atmosphere. All the material in the solar winds are ionized due to the tremendous heat. The Beta particles or electrons are attracted to the north pole and makes it negative. The alfa particles are attracted to to the south pole and it makes it positive. These voltages helps in the ionization of the Van Allan Belt ,which protects us from the sun's radiation.

Answer 6

Actually they recently found enough scientific proof for global warming and the depletion of the ozone layer. It is actually happening. In Europe there are actually commercials coming out to show people things they can do to help keep it from getting worse. There has been a lot of info. out lately. Trying reading the news.

Answer 7

Because the ozone layer has been repairing itself since the Montreal Protocol banned the manufacture and most uses of CFCs which were causing the problem.

Try to keep up with the rest of the class, Sparky.

Answer 8

Your rhetorical question is a perfect example of the current state of science education in the US.

Answer 9

Maybe you are not listening. Ozone depletion is as bad as it ever has been.

Answer 10

You gotta be kiddin'. Problems simply heap up, is all.