THE OZONE LAYER

Da Drumma · Senior Member

RE: THE OZONE LAYER

sabornuevo · Guru

i cant enjoy this weather because of that fact

its like the saying if it is to good to be true then it is not

its somthing we should all do our part.. a lil bit at a time and maybe others will follow your lead

Dogo · Comandante

Here's the electric car I was telling you about
Sorry my bad... it's top speed isn't 300 km/h........ it's 400km/h!!! (370km/h recorded speed, capable of 400)

http://www.greencarcongress.com/2004/11/8wheeling_with_.html

Dogo · Comandante

Bainaman wrote:

The catch is.....you still need factories that run on oil...to build all these things....

K, dude, now le estas buscando el pelo al huevo! lol!

Check this.....

I saw a similar note a few months back about Iceland being the pioneer in this techno;ogy, and they are very smart on how they go about "producing" the hydrogen

They have the first Hydrogen service station, and they already (I think)have buses runing on hydrogen

http://switchboard.real.com/player/email.html?PV=6.0.12&&title=The%20BBC%92s%20Shirin%20Wheeler&link=http%3A%2F%2Fnews.bbc.co.uk%2Fmedia%2Fvideo%2F38208000%2Frm%2F%5F38208527%5Fhydrogen06%5Fwheeler%5Fvi.ram

-- Edited by Dogo at 17:44, 2006-01-13

torontotrucho · Guru

Don't worry guys, the temp will be back to normal next week.

I do to wonder, I've been working at nigth and feel a wind current that kind of feels tropical< i mean, it's not a really chilly air current, it should make everything frost but it doesn't, even the water on the ground wasn't frozen. It has someting to do with global warming for sure, but it also has something to do with the shifting of the poles, this has happened before. I think is happenning very slowly but it's surely happening. Some places will be gradually colder while colder places warmer. Poor white bears will have to adapt to the changes, aswell as we individuals,,, HEctor, one more pin~a Colada please....jijiji

GENIE · Foro Master

Bainaman wrote:

Dogo wrote: GENIE wrote: YEP IGNORE MY COMMENT!!!! UR STILL EACHOTHERS BEEEAAACCCCHHHHEEEESSSS LMAO LMAO Celosa de mi, o de Baina? You had to give in didn't you? You know how when you ignore pests...they just go away..... No you just egged her on.....

SUCKER!!!! I KNEW HE WOULD FALL MMMMMMMUUUUUUUUUAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH

UR A BIT TOUGHER SO I TAKE IT THAT UR THE GUY IN THE RELATIONSHIP!!!

Bainaman · Foro Master

Dogo wrote:

GENIE wrote:
YEP IGNORE MY COMMENT!!!! UR STILL EACHOTHERS BEEEAAACCCCHHHHEEEESSSS LMAO LMAO

Celosa de mi, o de Baina?

You had to give in didn't you?

You know how when you ignore pests...they just go away.....

No you just egged her on.....

GENIE · Foro Master

Dogo wrote:

GENIE wrote: YEP IGNORE MY COMMENT!!!! UR STILL EACHOTHERS BEEEAAACCCCHHHHEEEESSSS LMAO LMAO Celosa de mi, o de Baina?

DE NINGUNA CHULA!!!

Dogo · Comandante

GENIE wrote:

YEP IGNORE MY COMMENT!!!! UR STILL EACHOTHERS BEEEAAACCCCHHHHEEEESSSS LMAO LMAO

Celosa de mi, o de Baina?

GENIE · Foro Master

YEP IGNORE MY COMMENT!!!! UR STILL EACHOTHERS BEEEAAACCCCHHHHEEEESSSS

LMAO LMAO

Bainaman · Foro Master

The catch is.....you still need factories that run on oil...to build all these things....

Poco a poco.......but we as a whole need to start now....even small changes in life style..can help.

Dogo · Comandante

Bainaman wrote:

Do you know how explosive hydrogen is????? If they can figure out how not to blow yourself up in case of an accident or something......then i'm all for the hydrogen idea........The biodiesel idea I like....because all the infrastructure needed to distribute it is in place.....and gas stations would have to do little modifying to accomodate.

Still early dude, let them work on it

My point with bio is that in no time we'll have to consider yet another alternative fuel to that one.....population growth alone will do that in no time

BTW, did you see on discovery, the electric car the Japanese developed? (6 or 8 wheeled, I forget) an electric motor on each wheel....someting crazy like 300 km/h top speed and an acceleration of 4 sec's 0 to 100km/h!!
they actually have 2 versions a race version and a street version, problem is the technology on batteries is not advanced enough, it's got like $200.000 worth of lithium batteries

Bainaman · Foro Master

@ Dogo - Check this out

Environmental benefits in comparison to petroleum based fuels include:

Biodiesel reduces emissions of carbon monoxide (CO) by approximately 50% and carbon dioxide by 78.45% on a net lifecycle basis because the carbon in biodiesel emissions is recycled from carbon that was already in the atmosphere, rather than being new carbon from petroleum that was sequestered in the earth's crust. (Sheehan, 1998)
Biodiesel contains fewer aromatic hydrocarbons: benzofluoranthene: 56% reduction; Benzopyrenes: 71% reduction.
It also eliminates sulfur emissions (SO2), because biodiesel does not include sulfur.
Biodiesel reduces by as much as 65% the emission of particulates, small particles of solid combustion products. This reduces cancer risks by up to 94% according to testing sponsored by the Department of Energy.
Biodiesel does produce more NOx emissions than petrodiesel, but these emissions can be reduced through the use of catalytic converters. The increase in NOx emmisions may also be due to the higher cetane rating of biodiesel. Properly designed and tuned engines may eliminate this increase.
Biodiesel has a higher cetane rating than petrodiesel, and therefore ignites more rapidly when injected into the engine. It also has the highest BTU content of any alternative fuel in its pure form (B100).
Biodiesel is biodegradable and non-toxic - tests sponsored by the United States Departement of Agriculture confrim biodiesel is less toxic than table salt and biodegrades as fast as sugar.
Biodiesel is the only alternative fuel to have successfully completed the Health Effects Testing requirements of the Clean Air Act (1990).

Do you know how explosive hydrogen is?????

If they can figure out how not to blow yourself up in case of an accident or something......then i'm all for the hydrogen idea........The biodiesel idea I like....because all the infrastructure needed to distribute it is in place.....and gas stations would have to do little modifying to accomodate.

Dogo · Comandante

Bainaman wrote:

Dogo wrote: Bainaman wrote: DulceGalletita wrote: I mean I'm expecting like something MAJOR to happen soon ... Cookie........Have you not seen or heard about the Tsunami last year.....and the amount of hurricaines we had this year??? It's not gonna happen soon..... IT'S HAPPENING ALREADY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! True dat! but I think we're heading in the right direction (may be too late, but something) you know.. Kyoto accord, alt fuels ... I think we'll be OK....(in a couple of decades) BTW, wasn't the tsunami due to earthquake/plaque shift? Yes.......but I truly believe it's mother nature in general fighting back!!! Biodiesels are the way to go!!! Biodiesel is fuel made from renewable materials such as vegetable oils or animal fats. It is biodegradable and non-toxic, and has significantly fewer emissions than petroleum-based diesel (petro-diesel) when burned. Biodiesel functions in current diesel engines, and is a possible candidate to replace fossil fuels as the world's primary transport energy source. With a flash point of 160 °C, Biodiesel is classified as a non-flammable liquid by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. This property makes a vehicle fueled by pure biodiesel far safer in an accident than one powered by petroleum diesel or the explosively combustible gasoline. Precautions should be taken in very cold climates, where biodiesel may gel at higher temperatures than petroleum diesel. Biodiesel can be distributed using today's infrastructure, and its use and production is increasing rapidly (especially in Europe, the United States, and Asia). Fuel stations are beginning to make biodiesel available to consumers, and a growing number of transport fleets use it as an additive in their fuel. Biodiesel is generally more expensive to purchase than petroleum diesel, although this differential may diminish due to economies of scale, the rising cost of petroleum, and government subsidization favoring the use of biodiesel. The next car I buy.....which will be soon.....I'm gonna get a diesel engine. There is a guy in Alberta I believe.....that is selling a kit online...but about $1500 to convert your regular diesel engine...into a biodiesel engine. Something to look into for sure. All you'd need to fill up your tank.....is to go to the nearest fast food joint....and ask them to give you their used cooking oil.......Most places will give them to you for free....because they have to pay a fee to get rid of them......so it saves them money to give it away!!! -- Edited by Bainaman at 12:45, 2006-01-13

Maybe short term bro... in the long run we'll just have enough cars on biodiesel to polute just as much as we are now...... I think hydrogen is a much better alt...0 emisions, how do you beat that!?

And the oil thingy... well,McDonalds coudln't fry enough fries to fuel everybody!lol

I think whatever solutions HAVE to be long term, short term is just another band-aid solution that nould fly .. increase in population alone will fk it all up again (that's why I like the hydrogen idea)

DulceGalletita · Foro Master

Bainaman wrote:

DulceGalletita wrote: I mean I'm expecting like something MAJOR to happen soon ... Cookie........Have you not seen or heard about the Tsunami last year.....and the amount of hurricaines we had this year??? It's not gonna happen soon..... IT'S HAPPENING ALREADY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Noooooooooooooooo ... I meant here in T.O ....

I mean like some super duper major SNOWSTORM ... o algo ...

Bainaman · Foro Master

Dogo wrote:

Bainaman wrote: DulceGalletita wrote: I mean I'm expecting like something MAJOR to happen soon ... Cookie........Have you not seen or heard about the Tsunami last year.....and the amount of hurricaines we had this year??? It's not gonna happen soon..... IT'S HAPPENING ALREADY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! True dat! but I think we're heading in the right direction (may be too late, but something) you know.. Kyoto accord, alt fuels ... I think we'll be OK....(in a couple of decades) BTW, wasn't the tsunami due to earthquake/plaque shift?

Yes.......but I truly believe it's mother nature in general fighting back!!!

Biodiesels are the way to go!!!

Biodiesel is fuel made from renewable materials such as vegetable oils or animal fats. It is biodegradable and non-toxic, and has significantly fewer emissions than petroleum-based diesel (petro-diesel) when burned. Biodiesel functions in current diesel engines, and is a possible candidate to replace fossil fuels as the world's primary transport energy source.

With a flash point of 160 °C, Biodiesel is classified as a non-flammable liquid by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. This property makes a vehicle fueled by pure biodiesel far safer in an accident than one powered by petroleum diesel or the explosively combustible gasoline. Precautions should be taken in very cold climates, where biodiesel may gel at higher temperatures than petroleum diesel.

Biodiesel can be distributed using today's infrastructure, and its use and production is increasing rapidly (especially in Europe, the United States, and Asia). Fuel stations are beginning to make biodiesel available to consumers, and a growing number of transport fleets use it as an additive in their fuel. Biodiesel is generally more expensive to purchase than petroleum diesel, although this differential may diminish due to economies of scale, the rising cost of petroleum, and government subsidization favoring the use of biodiesel.

The next car I buy.....which will be soon.....I'm gonna get a diesel engine.

There is a guy in Alberta I believe.....that is selling a kit online...but about $1500 to convert your regular diesel engine...into a biodiesel engine. Something to look into for sure.

All you'd need to fill up your tank.....is to go to the nearest fast food joint....and ask them to give you their used cooking oil.......Most places will give them to you for free....because they have to pay a fee to get rid of them......so it saves them money to give it away!!!

-- Edited by Bainaman at 12:45, 2006-01-13

Dogo · Comandante

Bainaman wrote:

DulceGalletita wrote: I mean I'm expecting like something MAJOR to happen soon ... Cookie........Have you not seen or heard about the Tsunami last year.....and the amount of hurricaines we had this year??? It's not gonna happen soon..... IT'S HAPPENING ALREADY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

True dat! but I think we're heading in the right direction (may be too late, but something) you know.. Kyoto accord, alt fuels ... I think we'll be OK....(in a couple of decades)

BTW, wasn't the tsunami due to earthquake/plaque shift?

Bainaman · Foro Master

DulceGalletita wrote:

I mean I'm expecting like something MAJOR to happen soon ...

Cookie........Have you not seen or heard about the Tsunami last year.....and the amount of hurricaines we had this year???

It's not gonna happen soon.....

IT'S HAPPENING ALREADY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

DulceGalletita · Foro Master

Dogo wrote:

A Green Machine Top 10 Ways to Equip Your Car for a Greener Planet By EDMUNDS.COM friendly manner. -- Edited by Dogo at 11:40, 2006-01-13

Ummm, I gotta do all that to make sure my car is equipped for a greener planet

I don't know if I am doing anything to help the ozone layer ... but I can tell you I'm FREAKED out with the weather ... I mean I'm expecting like something MAJOR to happen soon ...

GENIE · Foro Master

SO CUTE

BAINAMAN THROWS A FIT AND HIS BF DOGO IS HERE TO THE RESCUE SO CUTE NOW THATS TRUE LOVE!!!

AAAAAAAAAAAWWWWWWWWWWWW

EVERYONE JOIN ME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Dogo · Comandante

Bainaman wrote:

Ok then.... F@CK THE OZONE!!!!!!!!!

Yeah! FK it!! ... actually no, but you know... one liner threads are more succesful (obviously)... just not a lot of time for elaborate replys

It's obvious that cars are prob the best best/worst contributors to this phenomenon... so here

Updated:2006-01-06 17:59:41

A Green Machine

Top 10 Ways to Equip Your Car for a Greener Planet

By EDMUNDS.COM

Sometimes it seems as if we, personally, don't have the power to do anything positive for the environment. But the truth is: We can make a difference. It all comes down to the choices we make.

Take our vehicles. What we drive, how we drive and how we maintain our vehicles are all choices that are within our control. If you want to make more environmentally-friendly choices, check out the following ideas before you buy your next car or truck.

1. Have a Hybrid
If you can't avoid traffic, you can choose to drive a hybrid. The gasoline engine in these vehicles shuts off while you're idling, which reduces fuel consumption and emissions.

What's more, "strong hybrids" like the Ford Escape Hybrid, Lexus RX 400h, Toyota Highlander Hybrid and Toyota Prius can run in electric-only mode when you're coasting or puttering along in rush-hour traffic. According to Ford, in primarily stop-and-go driving, you'll fill the gas tank on the Escape Hybrid about half as often as you would the conventional V6 version. In fact, these hybrids earn higher fuel economy ratings in the city than they do on the highway. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Ford Escape Hybrid at 36 city/31 highway (33/29 with all-wheel drive), the Lexus RX 400h at 31 city/27 highway and the Toyota Prius at 60 mpg city/51 highway.

2. Go Lean With Engines and Options
You don't have to choose a hybrid to get good gas mileage. Engine and transmission choice can make a big difference, even within the same vehicle family.

For instance, a 2005 Honda Civic HX with the lean-burn 1.7-liter engine and a manual transmission is EPA rated at 36 mpg city/44 highway, compared with 32/38 for a Civic LX with the regular 1.7-liter and a manual tranny.

That difference translates into a lot of gallons — and dollars — over time. According to the EPA, the estimated annual fuel costs for a Civic HX are $791, compared with $903 for the Civic LX.

Another thing to consider is curb weight. Options like four-wheel drive and third-row seats add weight to your vehicle and increase fuel consumption. Skip this stuff if you don't need it.To learn more about improving your mileage, see our fuel economy page.

3. Shut Off Some Cylinders
To improve fuel economy and reduce emissions without skimping on performance and towing capability, some automakers have created systems that seamlessly turn a V8 into a V4 — or turn a V6 into an inline three — during certain driving conditions.

DaimlerChrysler was the first company to install modern cylinder-deactivation technology, using it in 2001 and 2002 V12 Mercedes-Benz models. Today, the company's Multi-Displacement System improves fuel economy by up to 20 percent in the powerful Hemi-powered Chrysler 300C, Dodge Charger, Dodge Magnum and Jeep Grand Cherokee.

If you're shopping for a Honda Odyssey, consider getting either the EX with leather or the Touring model. These trim levels have the same V6 as the lower trims but add Variable Cylinder Management, improving the van's EPA ratings from 19/25 to 20/28.

Other cars with this feature include the Honda Accord Hybrid; various V8-powered GM trucks, including the Chevy TrailBlazer EXT and GMC Envoy XL; and the V8-powered Pontiac Grand Prix GXP.

4. Emit Less
Today, the cleanest vehicles are ZEVs, or zero-emission vehicles (essentially the rare remaining electric cars). Next cleanest are the PZEVs, or partial zero-emission vehicles.

According to the California Air Resources Board (CARB), PZEVs are 90-percent cleaner than the average new 2005 vehicle sold in that state. PZEVs meet the SULEV (Super Ultra Low Emission Vehicle) standard, plus they have near zero evaporative emissions and a 15-year/15,000-mile warranty on emission control equipment. Most PZEVs are offered exclusively in the green states (California, Maine, Massachusetts, New York and Vermont). You can get a complete list of all 2005 PZEVs here. Additionally, the EPA's Green Vehicle Guide includes air pollution scores for all vehicles. If you don't live in a green state, you can still make an environmentally friendly choice by selecting a vehicle with a lower federal bin number.

If you want to do even more to clean the air, consider a vehicle that comes with a PremAir catalyst on its radiator. The catalyst converts as much as 80 percent of the ground-level ozone it contacts into oxygen. The hotter and more polluted the air, the more smog-forming ozone PremAir destroys. PremAir catalysts currently are installed on all Volvos, as well as on the BMW 3 Series, Mercedes-Benz E-Class and Mitsubishi Galant.

5. Choose an Alternative Fuel
Another way to curb emissions, reduce reliance on foreign oil and, in some cases, support American farmers is to fill your tank with natural gas, biodiesel or ethanol.

Natural gas is popular for commercial fleets, but it usually isn't practical for day-to-day use by individuals due to the sparse network of refueling stations. However, Honda has closed this gap on the 2005 Civic GX, by selling it with a device called Phill that allows owners to refuel the car at home using existing natural gas lines. Driving range is about 250 miles. Like hybrids, natural gas vehicles qualify for a federal tax credit in 2005 and 2006.

Virtually any diesel vehicle can run on at least some biodiesel, a fuel made primarily from soybeans, and automakers have begun promoting its use. The Jeep Liberty CRD comes from the factory with B5 in its tank (a blend of 5-percent biodiesel, 95-percent petroleum diesel). Volkswagen has announced it will provide warranty coverage for vehicles running on B5. Warranty coverage for higher-percentage blends is likely in the near future.

Ethanol, which typically is made from corn, is another homegrown, renewable fuel that has a positive effect on greenhouse gases. It usually is mixed in a blend of 85-percent ethanol and 15-percent gasoline, known as E85.

If you choose a flexible-fuel vehicle (FFV), you can run any combination of E85 and straight gasoline. Unfortunately, because FFVs are not optimized to run exclusively on E85, fuel economy may drop as much as 25 percent, according to the EPA. On the plus side, ethanol has a much higher-octane rating, so horsepower may increase, and sulfur and aromatic hydrocarbon emissions will decrease.

GM is the biggest proponent of ethanol. The automaker offers flex-fuel versions of all of its full-size trucks and SUVs.

To find out if biodiesel and ethanol blends are available in your area, visit the National Biodiesel Board and the National Ethanol Vehicle Coalition. You can get a list of flexible-fuel vehicles from the EPA.

6. Consider the Content
Many automakers are using green materials, including recycled components and parts made from plants. Volvo goes especially far to ensure its interiors are environmentally-friendly, using nickel-free surface treatments, low-PVC trim materials, environmentally certified fabrics and chromium-free leather.

Those who prefer not to eat or wear animals can opt for a non-leather interior in most lower- and midpriced vehicles, and it's getting easier to find leather-free luxury cars, too. People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) recently pressured Mercedes-Benz into offering a leather alternative. Soon, you'll be able to special order a cloth interior in your new Benz.

7. Tend to Your Tires Underinflated tires produce extra rolling resistance, so they not only wear out faster, they reduce gas mileage. Plus, they adversely affect handling, increase stopping distances and increase the chance of tire failure.

Because most people don't check their tire pressure regularly, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has ruled that all 2006 model-year cars sold in the United States must have a tire-monitoring system as of September 1, 2005. Trucks and SUVs will be required to have them by the 2008 model year.

Tire-monitoring systems alert you when you need to add air to a tire, and they're already available on many vehicles. You can also retrofit an aftermarket system.

8. Choose a Better Route
Traffic doesn't just eat up your time, it eats up fuel. Fortunately, real-time traffic reports tied into a GPS-based navigation system make it easy to find a better route.

The Acura RL is the first U.S. vehicle to include real-time traffic as part of its standard navigation system in conjunction with XM Satellite Radio. Similar setups are available for retrofit from aftermarket audio companies. You also can get personalized traffic reports and route assistance if you upgrade from standard Tele Aid to the Tele Aid Luxury & Convenience option in a Mercedes-Benz vehicle.

9. Pick a Winner
Quite a few groups give green awards. For example, every other year, the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) ranks the six largest automakers in the U.S. market according to environmental performance. Last December, the UCS named Honda the greenest automaker for the third time running.

The American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE) rates vehicles according to the health problems caused by the pollutants they emit (including greenhouse gases), and it factors in estimated pollution from vehicle manufacturing and the production and distribution of fuel. For 2005, ACEEE named Honda's natural gas-powered Civic GX the greenest vehicle of the year, followed by the Honda Insight, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic Hybrid and Toyota Corolla. If you buy a subscription, you can view ACEEE scores and compare vehicles by body style.

The AMES (Automotive Market Environmental Superiority) Awards go to the top 25 percent of vehicles in various classes (luxury car, subcompact car, full-size SUV and so on) based on emissions and fuel economy. You can view the list for free at the AMES site.

10. Compare Factories
Some automakers have made huge strides in greening up their manufacturing facilities — and you can reward them for their efforts. For instance, all the major Honda plants worldwide meet the toughest international environmental management standards (ISO 14001), which cover such factors as waste disposal, water treatment and energy use.

Another example: Ford's Dearborn Truck Plant at the Rouge Center in Michigan has the world's largest living roof, with 10.4 acres of drought-resistant plants busy absorbing CO2. The factory also has the world's largest porous parking lot, which is part of a water cleanup system. And its fumes-to-fuel program captures paint fumes and converts them to hydrogen to power a stationary fuel cell.

If you take even a couple of our 10 suggestions when buying your next car or truck, you'll feel better knowing that you've made the choice to drive in a more environmentally friendly manner.

-- Edited by Dogo at 11:40, 2006-01-13

Bainaman · Foro Master

Ok then....

F@CK THE OZONE!!!!!!!!!

Princess Jazmin · Senior Member

is it realistic to think that the large majority of people who are not immediately affected by ozone depletion will actually spar into action and boycott every product that makes their life easier? Cars, refrigerators, air conditioners, hair spray...these have become staple household necessities in North American culture...i doubt few would give up these if they didn't have to and lets face it, the capitalist consumer society we live in creates more of everything

genie is right, reusing, reducing, and recycling are a start, but i still walk around toronto and see tonnes of garbage and newspapers everywhere...rarely do i see some one stop and pick up something that falls just shy of the actual garbage can...people need to do their part and pick up after those that don't

Bainaman · Foro Master

McOSIRIS wrote:

a una amiga mia le decian asi (the ozone layer)....

cada vez tiene el hoyo mas grande....

Great insight. Your opinion on the state of the environment is very informative.

GENIE · Foro Master

DO YOU PERSONALLY DO ANYTHING CONSCIOUSLY TO HELP THE ENVIRONMENT???

IT MAY NOT BE ALOT BUT I REUSE REDUCE AND RECYCLE EVERYTHING AND IM NO LONGER A LITTER BUG FOR ABOUT TWO YEARS NOW

I WILL GO LOOK FOR A TRASH CAN IF NOT ILL HOLD IT OR PUT IN MY PURSE TILL I FIND ONE

McOSIRIS · Comandante

a una amiga mia le decian asi (the ozone layer)....

cada vez tiene el hoyo mas grande....

Bainaman · Foro Master

ON DAYS LIKE TODAY.......HARDLY DOES ANYONE STOP TO THINK ABOUT THE FACT THAT THIS TYPE OF WEATHER SHOULD NOT BE HAPPENING IN THE MIDDLE OF JANUARY. AS "SABORNUEVO" POINTED OUT....WE SHOULD REALLY BE FREAKED OUT.

WHAT HAPPENED TO THE HYPE OF THE OZONE LAYER???

DO YOU PERSONALLY DO ANYTHING CONSCIOUSLY TO HELP THE ENVIRONMENT???

BELOW ARE SOME FACTS ABOUT THE OZONE THE I GOT FROM THIS WEBSITE....www.theozonehole.com

Ozone is a compound of oxygen that contains three atoms instead of the two found in the oxygen gas that sustains life. It was discovered in 1839 by a Swiss chemist, Christian Friedrich Schonbein. In high concentration ozone is a bluish green gas, with very strong oxidising properties. It is a toxic, irritating gas, often encountered in surface air pollution episodes, when it can trigger asthma and irritate mucous membranes. Dry air consists of 78% nitrogen and 21% oxygen and there are normally trace amounts of other gases, principally argon, water and carbon dioxide, present. The concentration of ozone is usually only a few parts per million and even in the ozone layer it is only one part in 100,000.

Ozone concentrations at the surface were first measured reliably by Robert Strutt (later 4th Lord Rayleigh) in 1918 using spectra of a hydrogen lamp recorded through five kilometres of air. These measurements showed that ozone concentration could not be uniform throughout the atmosphere as a higher concentration was required to explain the sharp cut off at around 300 nanometres (nm) seen in stellar spectra. Three years later Fabry and Buisson used spectrographic techniques to demonstrate that its principal atmospheric location is in the stratosphere, though it was not until the 1930s that the actual vertical distribution was first measured. It was soon recognised that measuring the variation in the total ozone column was of meteorological interest and Professor G M B Dobson developed a prototype ozone spectrophotometer in the 1920s. His instrument is still the standard today and around 120 Dobson spectrophotometers have been built.

The Sun emits radiation in all parts of the electromagnetic spectrum, roughly 7% in the ultraviolet between 200 and 400 nm, 41% in the visible between 400 and 760 nm and 52% in the infra red. The ultraviolet part of the spectrum is further divided into UV-A, UV-B and UV-C. UV-A lies between 315 and 400 nm and gives rise to a suntan and ageing of the skin. UV-B lies between 280 and 315 nm and is the damaging part of the spectrum. UV-C, which is totally absorbed by the atmosphere before it can reach the ground, lies between 200 and 280 nm.

Dobson’s instrument measures ozone by comparing the intensities of two wavelengths of ultra-violet light from the Sun, one of which is absorbed quite strongly by ozone, whilst the other is only weakly absorbed. The ratio of the intensities varies with the amount of ozone present in the atmosphere, and a well-calibrated instrument can measure ozone amounts to within a few percent. The instrument uses wavelengths between 305 and 340 nm and these are selected by means of prisms and a series of slits. It was initially a photographic instrument, but photocells were introduced in the mid 1930s and a photomultiplier in 1946.

Ozone is created in the upper stratosphere by the photo-dissociation of an oxygen molecule, which liberates a free oxygen atom and this can then combine with another oxygen molecule to create ozone. The dissociation of the oxygen molecule requires ultraviolet light of wavelength shorter than 240 nm. Ozone itself can be dissociated by light of wavelength shorter than 1100 nm. The free oxygen atom thus created quickly finds another oxygen molecule and the ozone is reformed with the net result of absorbing the solar radiation and inputting the energy into the atmosphere as thermal energy. The process is very efficient and virtually all radiation between 200 and 310 nm is absorbed, despite the relatively low concentration of ozone. The main ozone absorption bands in the ultraviolet are the Hartley (around 200 – 300 nm) and Huggins (around 300 – 350 nm), and there is the weak Chappuis band in the visible (440 – 740 nm). In the lower stratosphere, below about 30 km, ozone has a long lifetime, and the ozone mixing ratio can be used to trace atmospheric motions.

In the normal state of affairs the creation and dissociation processes run in balance and a typical value for the total amount of ozone in a vertical column of our atmosphere is around 300 Dobson Units (DU), or 300 milli-atmosphere-centimetres, which corresponds to a layer of ozone 3 mm thick at the Earth's surface. This 3 mm is in reality spread through the column, with the bulk of it lying between the tropopause, at 10 to 12 km altitude, and 40 km, with a maximum at around 17 to 25 km altitude depending on location. This is the ozone layer.

Over the last 50 years we have introduced chemicals into the atmosphere that are capable of destroying ozone through photochemical processes. Chloro-fluoro-carbons (CFCs) are widely known, but there are also other ozone depleting substances such as halons (bromo-fluoro-carbons) and methyl bromide. In certain circumstances the chlorine or bromine from these substances can react with ozone to turn it back into oxygen. In most parts of the world the reactions are very slow and there is little damage to the ozone layer, however over the Antarctic a dramatic hole opens in the ozone layer every spring and fills in again by mid-summer. This is created by the unusual atmospheric conditions that exist during the Antarctic winter.

An international treaty, the Montreal Protocol, has been drawn up to control the release of ozone depleting chemicals into the atmosphere. This treaty is clearly working, and the amount of these chemicals in air near the surface is beginning to decline. The chemicals are however so stable that it will take a long time before they drop to the levels that existed 50 years ago and it is likely that we will see an annual ozone hole over Antarctica for many decades to come.

Why does the ozone hole form over Antarctica ? The answer is essentially 'because of the weather in the ozone layer'. In order for rapid ozone destruction to happen, clouds (known as PSCs, Stratospheric Clouds Mother of Pearl or Nacreous Clouds) have to form in the ozone layer. In these clouds surface chemistry takes place. This converts chlorine or bromine (from CFCs and other ozone depleting chemicals) into an active form, so that when there is sunlight, ozone is rapidly destroyed. Without the clouds, there is little or no ozone destruction. Only during the Antarctic winter does the atmosphere get cold enough for these clouds to form widely through the centre of the ozone layer. Elsewhere the atmosphere is just too warm and no clouds form. The northern and southern hemispheres have different 'weather' in the ozone layer, and the net result is that the temperature of the Arctic ozone layer during winter is normally some ten degrees warmer than that of the Antarctic. This means that such clouds are rare, but sometimes the 'weather' is colder than normal and they do form. Under these circumstances significant ozone depletion can take place over the Arctic, but it is usually for a much shorter period of time and covers a smaller area than in the Antarctic.

Is the ozone hole recovering ? Some reports in the media suggest that the ozone layer over Antarctica is now recovering. This message is a little confused. Recent measurements at surface monitoring stations show that the loading of ozone destroying chemicals at the surface has been dropping since about 1994 and is now about 6% down on that peak. The stratosphere lags behind the surface by several years and the loading of ozone depleting chemicals in the ozone layer is at or near the peak. Satellite measurements show that the rate of decline in ozone amount in the upper stratosphere is slowing, however the total ozone amount is still declining. The small size of the 2002 ozone hole was nothing to do with any reduction in ozone depleting chemicals and it will be a decade or more before we can unambiguously say that the ozone hole is recovering. This assumes that the decline in ozone depleting chemicals continues and that there are no other perturbations to the ozone layer, such as might be caused by a massive volcanic eruption or Tunguska like event. It will be the middle of this century or beyond before the ozone hole ceases to appear over Antarctica. What we saw in 2002 is just one extreme in the natural range of variation in the polar stratosphere and is the equivalent of an extreme in 'stratospheric weather'. By contrast the 'weather' in 2003 moved to the opposite extreme and we saw one of the largest ozone holes on record.

Global warming and the ozone hole. The ozone hole is a completely different phenomenon to global warming, however there are links between them. The ozone hole is caused by ozone depleting chemicals in the atmosphere, which have been produced by industry, for example CFCs. One link is that CFCs are also 'greenhouse gasses'. Enhanced global warming is a probable consequence of increasing amounts of 'greenhouse gasses', such as carbon dioxide and methane, in the atmosphere. Although the surface of the earth warms, higher up the atmosphere cools, thus increasing the area where stratospheric clouds can form. This makes a larger area susceptible to ozone depletion and provides another link between the two issues.

Nacreous clouds or mother of pearl clouds. Occasionally stratospheric clouds can be seen from the UK, normally during the late winter and just after sunset or before sunrise. A display was widely seen across the UK on the evening of February 16 1996. These clouds form in the stratosphere, at heights of between 10 and 30 km, when the temperature there falls below -80°C and are probably composed of ice particles with a liquid coating of nitric acid tri-hydrate. They appear bright because they are high enough to be illuminated by the sun long after local sunset and the pastel colours arise through diffraction or interference effects in much the same way that colours appear in a film of oil on a puddle of water. Occasionally seen from Scotland during the winter months, they are a once in a lifetime sighting from southern England. They are more frequently seen from the southern hemisphere, particularly from locations along the Antarctic Peninsula where the mountains create lee-waves in the upper atmosphere.