Concern for the Environment

CONCERN FOR THE ENVIRONMENT Environment refers to everything that surrounds and influences an organism. Our environment is getting worse day by day, and we are suffering for other people and our mistakes. We might not be able to see all of the bad things in our environment, but they are for sure there. This could affect our families and our future one day. There are some problems affecting the environmental stability, namely- ozone depletion, enhanced greenhouse effect, global warming, and climate change. First, what is ozone depletion? Ozone depletion is defined as the thinning of the ozone layer, caused by a group of manufactured chemicals called ozone-depleting substances (ODS). Ozone –depleting-substances include chlorofluorocarbons, halons, carbon tetrachloride, methyl bromide, hydrobromofluorocarbons, and Bromochloromethane. Chlorofluorocarbons are mostly used in refrigeration, air conditioning and heat pump systems. Halons are used historically as fire suppression agents and fire fighting, but now only allowed in very limited situations. Carbon tetrachlorides are limited solvent use in laboratories and chemical and pharmaceutical industry. Methyl bromides are historically used in fumigation, soil treatment, pest control, quarantine, market gardening. Hydrobromofluorocarbons are historically used in fire suppression systems and fire fighting. Bromochloromethanes are historically used in the manufacture of biocides. Second, what is enhanced greenhouse effect? Enhanced greenhouse effect is an increase in the concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere that results in more heat being retained and an overall warming of the Earth’s temperature. Although they make up a small percentage of atmospheric gases, changes in the concentration of greenhouse gases have a huge effect on the balance of natural processes. Burning fossil fuels - coal, oil and natural gas - releases carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. Cutting down and burning trees also produce a