Ozone layer takes a role to prevent ultraviolet rays, which protects humans from being excessively exposed to the sun. It is also essential to realize that every living thing on the earth relies on the solar energy to continue with their lives. Nevertheless, there has been a component released from the sun that can be extremely harmful to the living things. It has been considered as ultraviolet rays coming out of the ozone layer, located in the Stratosphere.
Scientists have discovered that harmful emissions account for much of the damage in the atmosphere and that the ozone layer is being increasingly thinned by human activity. This has led to harmful ultraviolet radiation and the evidence of a large ozone hole which was discovered above the continent of Antarctica in 1985. This ozone hole has been remarkably growing larger and deeper over time due to two major ozone depleting chemicals.
First off, there is significant evidence that chemicals and emissions of chlorofluorocarbon gas (CFCs) have been causing a significant destruction of ozone in the Stratosphere. It is widely known that chlorofluorocarbon gas contributes to the main cause that continuously destroys the ozone layer. This is mainly released from a refrigerator, an air conditioner, and a hair spray. Once chlorofluorocarbon gas is released, it will eventually destruct the ozone layer by making holes. As a result, the ultraviolet ray comes through the holes, melts a glacier and the surface of the water will soar.
Secondly, Halon gas also ruins the ozone layer and any objects that emits Halon gas is restricted in today’s society. Halon gas consists of similar elements as CFC gas, but it contains bromine instead of chlorine. It can be seen that the relationship between bromine and Halon gas equals to the relationship between chlorine and CFC gas.
Due to these two major ozone depleting chemicals known as CFCs and Halon gas, ultraviolet rays coming through the holes from the ozone layer will ultimately cause skin cancer as well as environmental deterioration. Furthermore, the destruction of ozone layer affects all of us, because in the end, the environment where people cannot live will be formed while an ecosystem is being destroyed.
In order to address this problem, Canada made an important contribution to the environmental health. Canada has been involved in many international treaties, including the Montreal Protocol.
An international agreement, the Montreal Protocol, was implemented in 1987 to protect the ozone layer from further depletion. It eventually helped humans to prevent getting skin cancer and preserved the environment by protecting the ozone layer surrounding the Earth. The amount of CFCs and harmful substances are remarkably decreased by promoting the Montreal Protocol. After all, the Montreal Protocol successfully phased out most CFCs. It seems that Canada has taken a significant role in promoting positive global change, particularly in improving global health and wellness.
I think that in order to effectively address ozone layer depletion, Canada as well as other countries of influence and relative affluence all over the world must join together and take responsibility for the global environment for the future of the earth.
Above all, it clearly reveals that we will not be able to live without the ozone layer that is located in the Stratosphere. If it happens to disappear, every living thing will be gone or mutate into the species that can even survive even if they receive ultraviolet rays. In order to maintain our lives, CFCs or Halon gas must be strongly restricted and at the same time, we should spend all strength in developing a replaceable substance.
Hence, each one of us must act now to avoid further damage by reducing products that contain either CFC gas or Halon gas, removing an atom of chlorine or bromine that can damage an ozone layer. We should also use a fan instead of an air conditioner and use a hair gel instead of a hair spray.
I like it! It’s really well done! I like how you mentioned the Montreal Protocol…Maybe you could mention the Kyoto Protocol? Just an idea… 😀
Hi Michelle, some feedback for you.
Choice of topic:
– Interesting. Ozone layer depletion was certainly a hot topic of mainstream discussion twenty years ago, but I haven’t seen link between ozone layer depletion and climate change mentioned often. I imagine your topic might be particularly interesting to folks that thought we had solved the ozone layer problem in the 80s and no longer had to think about it anymore.
Use of resources.
– I think you could go much deeper in your research. Wikipedia is fine to begin with, but try to find other credible sources to back up your work. Furthermore, there are plenty of statements you make which you do not source, but should (e.g. your opening line, “Ozone layer takes a role to prevent ultraviolet rays…”).
Style / Coherence.
– The middle part of your discussion of different ozone depleting chemicals is solid.
– I think you could do more in your introduction and conclusion to state your topic. The fact that you’re talking about Ozone layer depletion and it’s implications for climate change doesn’t come through very strongly — it seems more like this is an article about depletion only. I suggest you rework your introduction to clarify your topic and use your conclusion to summarize and relate what you’ve talked about to the challenge of climate change.
– Watch out for awkward sentences or grammatical problems in your writing (e.g. “It has been considered as…”, “… evidence that chemicals and emissions…”). You might consider having someone else give a quick read of your post in order to identify any trouble spots.
Understandability / Clarity:
– The opening discussion about what the ozone layer is and how it protects us I found to be a little muddy. For instance, you say “there has been a component released from the sun”, but it isn’t clear that you’re referring to UV light here.
– You could also do much more to explain the link between ozone layer depletion and global warming. As it stands you only have one sentence about this.
Insights / Originality:
– You do a fine job summarizing ozone layer depletion and the public policies put in place to stop it. Now just focus on the challenge to climate change.
Good use of blogging features:
– Good work with inline links to your sources, and images. The picture of the fire extinguisher seems out of place though.
Updated version of this blog post:
http://www.easterbrook.ca/pmu199/?p=556