When the sun shines and it’s warm out, it’s easy to feel good — and hard to believe something so wonderful could be so potentially deadly.
But high in the Earth’s stratosphere, the ozone layer that shields our planet from the sun’s harmful rays is in jeopardy. And the statistics are alarming:
-In Antarctica, the ozone hole is more than twice the size of Europe. That’s the largest it has been since it was discovered in 1985, according to the World Meteorological Organization.
-In Australia, up to three out of four people are expected to develop skin cancer. Many children now are required to wear protective hats during recess.
-And in America, the chances of developing the most deadly skin cancer are nearing 1 in 75. Six decades ago, the chances were 1 in 1,500.
“It’s going to be at least 50 to 100 years before the ozone hole heals,” said Kelly Quirke of the Rainforest Action Network in San Francisco. “The question is, what kind of planet are kids going to inherit?”
Scientists, governments and chemical companies are researching ways to reverse the damage. “But if the ozone layer was destroyed … it could end life as we know it on Earth,” Quirke said.
Jonathan Abbatt, an assistant professor of geophysical sciences at the University of Chicago, agrees the problem is serious — but not necessarily deadly. “During the next 10 years, the loss will reach its peak,” Abbatt said. “But the encouraging news is that maybe into the middle of the next century, we’ll start to see a recovery.”
Why the concern? A wavelength of sunlight known as ultraviolet B (or UV-B) is especially lethal to humans. In small doses, UV-B radiation produces sunburn. In larger doses, it can cause skin cancer, cataracts or weaken the immune system.
A healthy ozone layer shields our planet from UV-B rays. But chlorofluorocarbons (or CFCs) have floated into the stratosphere. These chemicals, invented in 1928, are found in air conditioners, aerosol cans and foam cups. And when CFCs hit ozone, they tear it apart.
After the Antarctic ozone hole was discovered, industrial nations signed the Montreal Protocol in 1987. That treaty bans CFC production.
Still, that hasn’t reduced the ozone hole. It now covers swaths of the Pacific and Atlantic oceans, and the southern tip of South America.
Other chemicals such as methyl bromide can destroy ozone too. “It’s a toxic pesticide used most often on strawberries and tomatoes,” Quirke said. “So kids can tell their parents to buy organic (produce).”
And although CFCs are illegal, there’s still a demand for them. The Environmental Investigation Agency, an independent watchdog group, estimates that 6,000 tons of CFCs are illegally traded each year.
The related problem of global warming hurts the ozone layer too. “We’re putting more greenhouse gasses in the air with the (burning) of fossil fuels” like gasoline, Quirke said. As ground temperatures rise, “the stratosphere, where the ozone layer is, is getting colder. And the colder air speeds up (ozone) depletion.”
Scientists have suggested some unique ideas to save the ozone layer. One is to mount infrared lasers on mountains, then shoot them into the air to destroy CFCs.
Another plan involves dumping ethane or propane into the Antarctic stratosphere. It’s thought that these chemicals, or hydrocarbons, would neutralize ozone-depleting substances. But the pricey process would have to be repeated yearly, and the side effects are unknown.
SMOG PUTS KIDS AT RISK FOR LUNG DAMAGE
We already know smog can make your eyes itch, cause your chest to feel scratchy when you exercise, even give you a headache.
But a new long-term study says children who grow up breathing dirty air may suffer lung damage into adulthood.
For 10 years, University of Southern California scientists monitored the breathing capacity of kids from grades 4 to 10. Boys who lived in communities with smoggy air and who spent a lot of time outdoors showed a lower breathing capacity. And girls who spent time outdoors showed an even higher percentage of lung damage. Scientists aren’t sure why girls are more at risk, because most girls reported spending less time outdoors than boys.
— From wire reports.
