Subhanarayan Satapathy
All of us learnt about ozone in our academic books, magazines, journals that Ozone is a molecule made up of three oxygen atoms, often referenced as O3. The ozone layer is one layer of the stratosphere, the second layer of the Earth’s atmosphere. The Ozone layer is a thin part of the Earth’s atmosphere that absorbs almost all of the sun’s harmful ultra violet light and protects life on earth. If it was absent, millions of people would develop skin diseases and may have weakened immune systems. The main reasons for the ozone hole are chlorofluorocarbons, carbon tetrachloride, methyl bromide and hydro chlorofluorocarbons. According to NASA, each year for the past few decades during the Southern Hemisphere spring, chemical reactions involving chlorine and bromine cause ozone in the southern polar region to be destroyed rapidly and severely. This depleted region is known as the “ozone hole”. The area of the ozone hole is determined from a map of total column ozone. It is calculated from the area on the Earth that is enclosed by a line with a constant value of 220 Dobson Units. The value of 220 Dobson Units is chosen since total ozone values of less than 220 Dobson Units were not found in the historic observations over Antarctica prior to 1979. Also, from direct measurements over Antarctica, a column ozone level of less than 220 Dobson Units is a result of the ozone loss from chlorine and bromine compounds. The human activities cause the emission of halogen source gases that contain chlorine and bromine atoms. These emissions into the atmosphere ultimately lead to stratospheric ozone depletion. The source gases that contain only carbon, chlorine, and fluorine are called ‘chlorofluorocarbons’, usually abbreviated as CFCs. These are released by solvents, spray aerosols, refrigerators, air-conditioners, etc. The molecules of chlorofluorocarbons in the stratosphere are broken down by ultraviolet radiations and release chlorine atoms. Similarly the ozone layer has been found to be depleted by certain natural processes such as Sun-spots and stratospheric winds, volcanic eruptions etc.
So, every individual should also take steps to prevent the depletion of the ozone layer. One should avoid using pesticides and shift to natural methods to get rid of pests instead of using chemicals. The vehicles emit a large amount of greenhouse gases that lead to global warming as well as ozone depletion. Therefore, the use of vehicles should be minimized as much as possible or e vehicle shall be used more and more. Most of the cleaning products have chemicals that affect the ozone layer. We should substitute that with eco-friendly products. Maintain air conditioners, as their malfunctions cause CFC to escape into the atmosphere. To control over the activities community and Government level interference is highly required. Now, Air Conditioners are hugely used in public and private transportations like; buses, cars, aero plane ad offices, homes etc. Refrigerators are available in almost all houses. Still there is no restriction on discharging such harmful gases. There is no limit of its uses, which load over on electricity as well as contaminate pure air and harms Ozone layer. Most of the people are going away from nature. They are enjoying the natural beauty but leaving in and depending on artificial materials and things. ACs are used not only in summer but also in all weather conditions. People are aware of its harmfulness. However, they ignore it or its optimum use reveals to stay in luxurious comfort. Though there are regulations to reduce ozone depleting substance, Montreal protocol, but regulations for people to reduce discharging such substances due to domestic, official, transport use of the machineries and control over such gases shall be formulated and implemented. When the ozone layer is thinned (depleted), more ultraviolet radiation than usual is measured to reach Earth, raising Earth’s temperature and increasing risk of sunburn and skin cancer. So Individual to Country and global level effort are required to protect the layer. For sustainable development in terms of agriculture, health, livelihood, reducing disaster and quality lives, Ozone protection is everyone’s responsibility for which cooperation of every person is inevitable. Thus to infer, till there is Ozone Layer, there are lives on earth.