
No matter what subject I am discussing, there are always students who think that the ozone hole is the reason for everything. Hint: It is not. Ozone holes are not something I would normally cover, but due to overwhelming interest in the subject (from your input), some explanation of the issue is in order here. But note it is not the major cause of climate change.

The sun emits all kinds of wavelengths that impinge on the outer surface of the planet (the atmosphere). Fortunately, the ozone that is high in the atmosphere screens much of the UV rays out. The ozone layer is in the stratosphere between 10 and 30 miles up.

When I was in Australia (one of the skin cancer leading nations) most of the kids on the beach were running around wearing full coverage bathing suits that look like a thin wetsuit. The material provided protection against the UV rays. In the center of town was the cancer treatment center. It is not uncommon for some of the older residents to go once a year to have the skin cancers removed. In the US skin cancer is more common on the left arm than on the right, why? It is due to how we drive and expose the left arm to more sun exposure.

What causes ozone holes?
The chemicals that we use to provide air conditioning, etc. are very stable, so stable that in the atmosphere they can rise to the outer layer of the stratosphere where the ozone resides. Once there the chlorine molecules can destroy 10,000 ozone molecules. The chemicals of concern come from commercial and industrial uses. The chemicals (refrigerants) are also used in heat-pumps and in refridgerators.
Source of Ozone | Percent |
---|---|
Solvent Cleaning Products | 36.1% |
Sterilization | 3.0% |
Refrigeration & Air Conditioning | 29.6% |
Foam Products | 14.3% |
Aerosols | 5.0% |
Other Products Including Halons | 12.0% |
Solution
The solution is relatively simple; STOP using ozone-destroying chemicals (Chlorofluorocarbons - CFC's, and others)! The Montreal Protocol became effective in 1989 with 160 countries eliminating or phasing out ozone-depleting chemicals. You can help by having your vehicle air conditioning fixed at locations where they do not release the chemicals into the atmosphere, and have your refrigerator refrigerant disposed of properly before the fridge goes into the landfill. As ozone is formed naturally, the ozone hole(s) will be repaired naturally. The problem is time - this is not going to occur until you are all much older (about 40 years). The process of formation is slow. Those ozone-destroying chemicals that were released in the 80's are still on their way to the ozone layer. So you and your family will need to use sunscreen and protect your skin and eyes against the UV-B rays in particular (to prevent cataracts). Unfortunately, penguins have no such protection. Take extra care if you are close to the equator (more exposure due to the Earth's angle towards the sun) and close to the poles (but don't worry about the Czechoslovakians!)
Watch the following 1:51 minute video about the destruction of the Ozone Holes.
Say goodbye to large ozone holes. A new study from NASA scientists suggests by the year 2040, the Antarctic ozone hole will be permanently smaller than the giant holes of today.
Since the early 90s, observed hole sizes have been larger than 12 million square miles with exact sizes changing each year. The ozone hole is a seasonal thinning of the ozone layer over Antarctica. The ozone hole size varies in part due to levels of ozone-depleting chemicals in the atmosphere. Man-made chemicals that destroy ozone are transported from the equator to the poles. In the Southern Hemisphere, they are trapped by the winds of the polar vortex, a ring of fast-moving air that circles the South Pole.
Although levels of these chemicals have been declining since the late 1990s due to the Montreal Protocol they will remain in the atmosphere for years, affecting ozone levels well into the century.
High in the atmosphere, the chemicals react with sheets of iridescent ice clouds which trigger the destruction of ozone. In years with warm temperatures, fewer ice clouds form, resulting in holes that are smaller. In years with cold temperatures, more ice clouds form, resulting in holes that are larger. But in order to understand how hole sizes will change in the future, scientists needed a more accurate picture of levels of man-made chemicals in the atmosphere.
Using NASA’s AURA satellite, scientists determined how chemical levels In the ozone hole, varied each year. With this new information, we can look into the future and say with confidence that ozone holes will be consistently smaller than 8 million square miles by 2040. And that will really be a milestone that we’re finally past the era of big ozone holes.
Misconceptions
Smog is caused by the ozone hole! Nope! Ozone at ground level contains ozone that was created at ground level from a combination of pollutants in the summer months in polluted areas. Smog has nothing to do with the ozone hole(s).
Climate change is enhanced by the ozone holes as it lets in more energy. Nope! The energy wavelength of interest for climate change is IR not UV. Climate change and the hole are however related, the gases that deplete the ozone are also greenhouse gases, and climate change can affect the ozone layer.
There is no ozone over the pole. Nope! We are discussing a reduction in the concentration of ozone - not the complete removal - so a "hole" is a bit misleading.
It is only a problem in the Southern Pole. Hmmmmm. Okay, it is a problem in the South Pole, mostly because during certain times of the year the "hole" goes walkabout and loses the circular shape and can cross populated areas such as the coastline of Australia. The North Pole "hole" has further to travel before crossing highly populated Europe. UV-B does impact phytoplankton and so it is a problem in both poles as phytoplankton is vital for the food chain. No phytoplankton, no krill, no krill no krill-eating whales, etc.