Until a few years ago a lot of us had never heard of ozone layer. Today many people are worrying about what might happen if the ozone layer continues to be destroyed.
Ozone is a gas. There is a thin layer of its high above the earth’s surface. That is the ozone layer. There is also a tiny amount of ozone in the air we breathe – less than one part in a million. That is just as well. Here on earth ozone is harmful because it is poisonous. Up in the atmosphere it is quite the reverse. Up there it forms a protection against the most burning ultra violet rays from the sun. The ozone layer is a bit like a layer of super-powerful sun-screen cream – it stops the harmful rays from reaching us on earth. So you can see why it is so important. Without the sort of shield provided by the ozone layer many more people would suffer from the serious effects of the sun’s ultra-violet rays which can cause skin cancer and other disorders.
You can also see why there is such concern about the destruction of the ozone layer. Scientists have discovered that gases we produce on earth are causing the damage. The main culprits are gases used in aerosol sprays and refrigeration equipment. These are called CPC’s for short. In 1987 a hole as big as America was found in the ozone layer over Antarctica. That is why people all round the world are now starting to worry about what this could mean for the future of our planet.
Picture Credit : Google
