Ask A Scientist© Environmental Science Archive

Author:     cudzil
Text:       Explain the problems of the ozone layer and what is being done to 
help it.

Response #: 1 of 1
Author:     Don Libby
Text:       Briefly, ozone is a gas that floats high up in the atmosphere 
where it helps to shield the earth from ultraviolet radiation from the sun. 
Some scientists have noticed lately that this thin layer of ozone gas is 
getting thinner, an that the thinnest spot hovers over Antarctica at the south 
pole. Some scientists believe that certain kinds of air pollution may destroy 
ozone, and this may be causing the layer to gradually thin-out. To stop this 
kind of air pollution from "chloro- fluorocarbons", the use of spray cans has 
been outlawed and the type of chemicals being used in refrigerators and air 
conditioners is being replaced with a new kind that is less harmful to ozone. 
Because thinner ozone means more sunlight reaches the surface of the earth, it 
may be easier to get a sunburn from staying out in the too long. That means 
that you have to provide your own sun shield to make up for the weaker ozone 
shield. Just wearing a hat in the summer when you are outside a lot will help 
shade your skin. So will using Sun-block lotion or wearing long sleeves. One 
hundred years ago in the US it was fashionable for people to carry a "parasol" 
to give shade from the summer Sunday. In Spanish, "parasol" means "for the 
Sunday" - in other words a sunscreen. People who live in desert countries in 
the Middle East and North Africa wear long white clothes to shield them from 
the harsh sun. People who like to climb mountains have to take special 
sunglasses and sun block.