| When discussing the preservation of our earth, two | | | | ozone in the stratosphere. |
| major issues are always in the forefront: the | | | | Even assuming that there will be a complete halt in |
| destruction of the vital ozone layer and the question | | | | use of the chloro-fluoro-carbohydrates, it must be |
| of the greenhouse effect, which may be causing the | | | | taken into consideration that their damaging effects |
| increase of temperature of the atmosphere. | | | | will increase. In the higher latitudes, people must take |
| Ozone is an unstable gas (rather rare). It is a toxic | | | | precautions and protect themselves against the |
| form of oxygen. It consists of three atoms of | | | | ultraviolet light of the sun. |
| oxygen in one molecule, while in the common | | | | In most cases, the term "greenhouse effect" is |
| molecule of oxygen there are only two atoms. | | | | synonymous with a negative, man-made climate |
| Ozone is present in the entire atmosphere up to the | | | | change. However, without a natural greenhouse |
| altitude of approximately 50 kilometres. The layer | | | | effect, the life on our planet would be impossible. |
| containing the highest concentration of ozone (the | | | | The earth would remain hostile to life. |
| ozone layer) is situated in the lower geographical | | | | Sunlight easily passes into a greenhouse and warms it |
| latitudes at approximately 25 kilometres above the | | | | up. However, the heat cannot easily escape. That |
| point zero (sea level). The altitude of the ozone layer | | | | way, the heat accumulates, and that is very similar to |
| decreases in the direction of polar regions. | | | | what is going on in the atmosphere that surrounds |
| By means of photochemical reaction, the short-wave | | | | us. It is made up of different gases: 78.1 percent of |
| part of ultraviolet rays changes oxygen into ozone. In | | | | nitrogen, 21 percent of oxygen, 0.9 percent of argon, |
| this way, the majority of cell-damaging ultraviolet light | | | | 0.03 percent of carbon dioxide, and traces of noble |
| is absorbed. | | | | gases. |
| The use of chloro-fluoro-carbohydrates in sprays and | | | | Fifty percent of sunlight easily reach the earth's |
| manufacture of foams causes long-term damage of | | | | surface, which is heated by this sunlight. The heated |
| the protective ozone layer. The reason is, that when | | | | earth also irradiates heat. This heat, analogous to the |
| these gases are released, they rises very slowly into | | | | heat of a greenhouse, cannot easily escape through |
| the atmosphere. There, they are dissolved by the | | | | the atmosphere into the universe. It is held in the |
| ultraviolet light into free atoms of chlorine. They | | | | atmosphere, mostly by water vapour and carbon |
| interact with ozone and destroy it. When the ozone | | | | dioxide. These two gases absorb the heat and |
| layer is damaged, ultraviolet light penetrates to the | | | | transfer it back to the earth. |
| surface of the earth. Chloro-fluoro-carbohydrates | | | | At the present time, the mean temperature on the |
| have a very long life and may continue destroying | | | | earth is plus 15 degrees Celsius. Without the |
| the ozone layer during many years. | | | | greenhouse effect, the mean temperature would also |
| This destructive process is specially noticeable at | | | | be around 15 degrees, but it would be with the other |
| lower temperatures. A considerable decrease in the | | | | symbol, that is to say, minus 15 degrees Celsius. |
| ozone layer was registered several years ago at the | | | | In the last few decades, people have caused the |
| south pole during the winter season. This decrease is | | | | increase of the greenhouse effect. Industry, |
| called the ozone hole. More than half of the ultraviolet | | | | transportation and agriculture, all share in the |
| rays pass through the hole. The consequence of this | | | | additional amounts of the greenhouse gases being |
| energy-releasing process is the release of heat. In | | | | produced. These gases prevent the heat to escape |
| the meantime, this effect emerged also over the | | | | into the universe, and reflect it back to the earth. |
| north pole. In Antarctica, when at the end of the | | | | The more greenhouse gases there are, the more |
| polar night the atmosphere gradually warms up again, | | | | heat stays within the earth-atmosphere cycle. Carbon |
| air from the lower latitudes, rich in ozone, streams in | | | | dioxide is not the only gas that increases the |
| and "fills up" the ozone hole. | | | | temperature in the atmosphere. There is also |
| In autumn of the year 2000, the hole in the ozone | | | | methane, which is released when forests are cleared |
| layer over Antarctica increased to 29 million cubic | | | | by burning. It is also released by landfills and by many |
| kilometres, which is four times the size of Australia. | | | | ruminants, such as beef cattle, sheep and goats. |
| According to the information of New Zealand | | | | Carbon dioxide is exhaled by people and animals. It |
| Antarctic stations, this increases the risk of exposure | | | | also escapes from volcanoes and is released by |
| to cancer-producing ultraviolet light for the population | | | | burning of fossil fuels. The ozone of the lower layers |
| of the southern hemisphere as never before. | | | | of the atmosphere is also one of the greenhouse |
| Antarctica as such is also threatened, because its | | | | gases. |
| very sensitive ecosystem may be quickly destroyed | | | | However, it is not absolutely clear, whether the global |
| by this situation. | | | | warming is caused by the increased production of |
| While the ozone in the stratosphere is being | | | | greenhouse gases, that is to say, by man. (Today, |
| depleted, in the lower layers of the atmosphere, i.e., | | | | it's already been demonstrated - note of the editor). |
| in the troposphere, the amount of ozone is on the | | | | Without any doubt, though, the increase in global |
| increase as a result of the emissions of the | | | | warming during the 20the century had been extreme. |
| automobiles (nitrogen and sulfur oxides). However, | | | | That century was the warmest one in the last 500 |
| this does not help balance the decreased amounts of | | | | years. |