Since our childhood, we all have learned about ozone layer depletion and the problems that cause because the Ozone Layer gets thin every day. It was in 1994 when the UNGA (United Nations General Assembly) declared 16 September as the International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer, or World Ozone Day. As mentioned earlier, the date commemorates the signing of the 'Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer,’ which was signed on 16 September 1987. The theme of the year 2022 Ozone Day is Montreal Protocol@35: global cooperation protecting life on earth.
The ozone layer is set in the stratosphere, which is above 15 to 30 km from the earth. It is the protective layer that protects the earth and living organisms on the earth from the harmful rays that come from the sun called UV rays. UV rays (ultraviolet rays are the rays that are really so dangerous for human beings and all living beings across the world.
CFCs are considered the main cause of the depletion of the ozone layer. When atoms of chlorine and bromine come into contact with the ozone layer, it destroys the protective layer. One chlorine atom can easily destroy the 100,000 molecules of ozone. But there are also compounds containing bromine, other halogen compounds, and nitrogen oxides that cause damage.
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Consequences of Ozone Layer:
The ozone layer has critical consequences for human beings and other living beings because the UV rays are death-causing rays that come from the sun. If the ozone layer is complete then people will start dying across the world continuously.
Ozone layer depletion causes increased UV radiation levels at the Earth's surface, which is damaging to human health. Negative effects include increases in certain types of:
- skin cancer
- eye cataracts
- immune deficiency disorders.
Not only on humans, it also causes side-effects on climate. Atmospheric ozone has two effects on the temperature balance of the Earth.
It absorbs solar ultraviolet radiation, which heats the stratosphere. It also absorbs infrared radiation emitted by the Earth's surface, effectively trapping heat in the troposphere.
If we talk about the ozone layer's consequences, we already know that people across the world are suffering, and for those diseases, the only thing that is responsible is the depletion of the ozone layer.
A report has shown that around 2-3 million people across the world are suffering from non-melanoma skin cancer. Cancer is not just a disease that can be cured easily; it really requires a lot of therapies and some patients are not even capable of such kinds of diseases. Over 6 million people around the world have suffered from immune deficiency diseases. Globally, there are around 100 million eyes that suffer from eye cataract disease. We know how dangerous it is, as we can see from all these figures.
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How can we protect the ozone layer?
Regular use of harmful gases is putting the world in great danger. As of now, we are unaware of it. Industrialization is expanding all over the world and people have started the destruction of forests for their own benefit, causing the environment to become more polluted, which is not good for living organisms across the world. Whether it is trees, humans, or animals.
Humans should avoid the consumption of dangerous gases that deplete the ozone layer, due to their content or manufacturing process. Some of the most dangerous gases are CFCs (chlorofluorocarbons), halogenated hydrocarbons, methyl bromide, and nitrous oxide. Minimise the use of cars. Automobiles are also causing a major impact on the environment.