Christina Stelmach
SCI/
January 20, 2013
Christine Snyder
The atmospheric issue that I chose to write about is the Ozone layer depletion and the indoor air pollutant is Volatile Organic Compounds. I am going to talk about the cause and effect of each of these issues and also efforts to mitigate the issues. Our Earth’s Ozone layer protects all life from the sun’s harmful radiation. Due to all human activities damage has been done to our Ozone layer thus, causing harmful ray’s to enter and expose people to higher levels of Ultra Violet ray’s from the sun. Causing deadly skin cancer to humans and causing our crops to be damaged by the harmful Ultra Violet Ray’s. The cause of the Earth’s Ozone layer depletion is man made gases called CFC’s and Halogens. These gases are emitted into the air from motor vehicles, factories, aerosol can’s and many other forms such as natural gases. The harmful gases rise to the stratosphere where the Ultra Violet Radiation then breaks them up and releases their chlorine. The chlorine destroys the Ozone layer. The main cause of our Ozone depletion is caused by CFC’s and related halocarbon gases. CFC’s for example from the Western countries several years to reach the stratosphere, where the Ozone layer is located. During the years that it takes to reach the Ozone layer, the wind carries them all over the world which is a cause of depletion throughout the entire Ozone layer. When in the presence of Ultra Violet light, these gases release Chlorine/Bromine atoms which destroy some of the Ozone layer. This is called, depletion. A major effect of the Ozone layer depletion is harmful Ultra Violet rays being emitted into meters depth water, our soil, and all living beings. These Ultra Violet-B rays can increase the rate of cancer, mutation and crop yield decrease. (wiki.answers.com) Volatile Organic Compounds indoors are emitted as gases from certain solids or liquids.