News story: Ozone Layer Shows Signs of Recovery

As the level of CFCs in the atmosphere decreases, the concentration of ozone in the stratospheric ozone layer appears to be recovering, and this is good news. Remember that the ozone layer protects us from much of the skin cancer-causing ultraviolet radiation that comes from the sun.

My thoughts on this: If it were not for scientific research, environmental activism, government regulation, and international cooperation (the Montreal Protocol of 1987 which banned many ozone-depleting chemicals), we would still be producing large quantities of CFCs, and the ozone layer would continue to diminish. I know, some of you will cry “liberal”, but I believe the government has an important role in environmental regulation.

For your information: If all of the ozone in the atmosphere were separated from the other gases, it would make a layer just a few millimeters thick (at 0°C and 1 atm pressure).

Grace and Peace