How we can save ozone layer?

Answer 1

When a health issue involves the health of the planet, people often feel there is little they can do to change the course of events. The depletion of the earth is protective ozone layer is one of these mega-issues. While most of the measures needed to safeguard the ozone layer involve nations and industries, there are significant steps you can take - as an individual consumer and as a member of a society.

There's good and bad ozone, depending on where it is, though both are chemically identical-a gas formed when three atoms of oxygen, rather than the normal two, bind together. The ozone found at ground level, a by-product of car and factory pollution, is one of the more dangerous components of smog. But in the earth's stratosphere, about 10 to 25 miles above us, ozone functions as a natural screen against the sun's most damaging ultraviolet (UV) rays. Unfortunately, the ozone that pollutes our air cannot reach the stratosphere's ozone layer.

What CFCs do
The stratospheric ozone layer is being destroyed in large part by man-made components called chlorofluorocarbons, or CFCs. These versatile chemicals, in liquid or gaseous form, have helped shape modern society. CFC s are used in coolants in our homes, cars and refrigerators; as foaming agents in foam insulation, mattresses, and food packaging; and as solvents that remove impurities from computer microchips and electronic equipment. The same properties that make CFCs efficient and safe for so many industrial uses also make them destructive for the environment. Their great stability ensures that when they are released into the air (during manufacturing, from leaky cooling systems, or upon disposal) CFCs eventually rise intact into the stratosphere, where radiation breaks them down into component atoms. One of these atoms, chlorine has a devastating effect on ozone. Other compounds called halons, used in some fire extinguishers, are even more destructive of ozone.

Scientists predict that by allowing more UV radiation to reach the earth, the depletion of the ozone layer will lead to an increase in the number of cases of skin cancer (especially melanoma) and cataracts. In addition, they postulate that the increased UV radiation may damage crops, kill plankton that serve as a food source for marine life, and even have adverse effects on the human immune system. CFCs may also trap heat in the atmosphere and thus contribute to the global warming trend (greenhouse effect).

For all these reasons, an international agreement in Montreal in 1987 called for phasing out CFC and halon production, and this past May in Helsinki these nations agree to rate the timetable. Recent reports by NASA that the ozone layer is being depleted even more rapidly that was previously projected, and the discovery of vast holes in the layer over Antarctica and the Arctic, have prompted scientists and environmental groups to call for a complete and rapid phase-out of CFCs. But even if we stopped using CFCs tomorrow, the damage to the ozone layer will continue, since those CFCs already released into the air will still be making their way to the stratosphere a decade from now and destroying the ozone for up to a century.

Substitutes have already been found for certain uses of CFCs. For instance, the EPA banned the use of CFCs as propellants in most, but not all aerosol sprays in 1978. CFCs can be modified so they do much less damage to the ozone layer, or so that they break down quickly in the lower atmosphere. Industries are also seeking ways to recycle the chemicals so that they aren't released into the air. Dupont, the world's largest manufacturer of CFCs, last year announced that it would phase out production by the end of the century.

Seven steps

The U.S. remains the biggest producer and consumer of CFCs. By following these steps, you can help reduce the American contribution to the destruction of the ozone layer.

* Have your car's air conditioner carefully serviced. Auto air conditioners are the single largest source of CFC emissions in the U.S. Don't simply refill your leaky air conditioner; if you don't have the leak fixed, the CFCs you leak will end up in the air. Go to a service station equipped to recycle the refrigerant (this costs an additional $35 to $55); otherwise, the CFCs will be vented into the atmosphere. In Los Angeles, an ordinance requiring service stations to recycle CFCs is expected to go into effect by January 1, 1990; it will also ban the sale of small cans of refrigerant, which allow people to 'top-off' their car air conditioners instead of repairing leaks. Car air conditioners using less harmful refrigerants are expected to be available in the mi-1990s. (Home air conditioners contain coolants that are far less ozone depleting.)

* Don't use foam plastic insulation in your home, unless it is made with ozone safe agents. Or use fiberglass,

gypsum, fiberboard, or cellulose insulation. * Don't buy a halon fire extinguisher for home use. * Check labels on aerosol cans. VCR-head cleaners, boat horns, spray confetti, photo negative cleaners, and drain plungers are still allowed to contain CFC's but such labeling isn't required.

* When buying a refrigerator, choose an energy efficient model: it may contain as little as half the CFC's. Thus when the fridge wears out and you dump it, less CFCs will be released. All refrigerators sold in the U.S. contain CFCs. To keep your fridge in the best working order, clean the coils regularly; that way it may last until CFC-free models are developed, or at least until recycling programs for CFCs are available. * If you feel strongly, write to your Senator and Representative and to President Bush, urging them to protect the ozone layer by tightening regulations on CFCs and halons, speeding up their elimination, mandating warning labels on products containing them, and pressing other nations to take such steps. Substitutes for CFCs may add to the cost of many products, be less efficient,, and have other drawbacks, at least at first. This may be hard to accept, especially since CFC emissions are invisible, and most of the damage they cause may not be evident for decade. But the steps we take now to protect the ozone layer will benefit our grandchildren.

Answer 2

Okay here you go this is the only good answer so far addressing your question and that isn't that long.

Nothing new really needs to be done. It should eventually fix itself. The primary culprits are CFCs like others said. But, those are now controlled by the Montreal protocol since 1987. The problem is CFCs can stick around for hundreds of years. But the ozone hole has begun to fix itself and will just take time.

On a side note here is something that 99% of you don't know I am guessing. The Ozone hole repairs itself 100% every year and then reforms in the polar spring. Its too complex to really explain, but it is the truth.

Answer 3

Dear friend,
The ozone layer can be depleted by free radical catalysts, including nitric oxide (NO), hydroxyl (OH), atomic chlorine (Cl) and bromine (Br). While there are natural sources for all of these species, the concentrations of chlorine and bromine have increased markedly in recent years due to the release of large quantities of manmade organohalogen compounds, especially chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) and bromofluorocarbons. These highly stable compounds are capable of surviving the rise to the stratosphere, where Cl and Br radicals are liberated by the action of ultraviolet light. Each radical is then free to initiate and catalyze a chain reaction capable of breaking down over 10,000 ozone molecules. Ozone levels, over the northern hemisphere, have been dropping by 4% per decade. Over approximately 5% of the Earth's surface, around the north and south poles, much larger (but seasonal) declines have been seen; these are the ozone holes.

Answer 4

The ozone layer took billions of years to form so yes we could fix it but not in a human time scale. Some day I am sure we will be able to do it, but right now there is no technology available.

Answer 5

That guy pinky is completely correct, I just had a test on this. CFCs released into the troposhere by human activities make their way to the stratosphere whey they decrease O3 or ozone concentration.

Answer 6

There is no real way to save the ozone but we can slow it down but the way the world is now it will never happen....

Answer 7

The Earth will always be here in some shape or form, it's irrelevent

Answer 8

If every body can save ten plant then it can possible.

Answer 9

To plant more and more tress and maintain ecological balance

Answer 10

Your bit of help, stop using electricity, any means of transportation except walk....

-:)