The Depletion of the Ozone Layer, a Warning to Mankind

Ozone depletion, today, has become a point of serious discussion across the globe. The Ozone layer is very important to life on planet earth, due to the fact that ozone that is present in the stratosphere and also in the troposphere. The ozone forms a protective layer over the earth. This layer prevents harmful ultraviolet-B radiation from entering the earth's atmosphere. These ultraviolet rays are harmful since they cause skin cancer as well as damage to plant life and marine life. They also increase the earth's surface temperature thus leading to other harmful effects.

The major cause of ozone depletion is the resulting effects of modernization and industrialization. One wonders how things that help mankind can be detrimental to human life. But the fact remains that the emissions resulting from modernization and industrialization affect this protective layer through Ozone depletion. The main compounds that cause the ozone depletion are freons and halons. Freons are mainly halogen atoms primarily chlorines and bromines found in the stratosphere as chlorofluorocarbons and halons are the bromoflurocarbons. Other ozone depleting chemicals are carbon tetrachloride and trichloroethane

A study of the ozone layer since the late 1970's show us that the ozone layer above the Antarctic stratosphere, or the polar region, has seen a drastic depletion and stands at 33% of what it was in the mid 70's. The layer is damaged thus creating a gap or more widely called the ozone hole. Another effect of this ozone depletion at the polar region is that the harmful rays enter the earth's atmosphere and increases the surface temperature thus leading to the melting of the polar ice cap. This occurs more prominently during the Arctic, Antarctic winter and spring times.

As a consequence of the ozone depletion, the Earth is exposed to dangerous and harmful rays that lead to

1. Humans and animal life become susceptible to various diseases and the immunity to these diseases decrease. The chances of people getting skin cancer and eye cataract increases as well as lung related diseases.

2. Agricultural produces and marine harvesting tend to decrease. Marine Plankton reduces by a great extent thus affecting marine growth.

Ozone depletion, in short, can lead to very serious consequence if it is not curtailed in time. We cannot wait for someone else to fix our problems, our generation needs to set the example and control the rate at which the ozone layer is being depleted and ensure a longer lifespan for the inhabitants of earth.

References:

1. Wikipedia -
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ozone_depletion

2. Latvian State Agency of Environment
http://www.meteo.lv/public/28975.html