Global warming has cast its dark side on many aspects such as melting ice caps, changing weather patterns, species becoming extinct and the ozone layer depleting at a fast level. The ozone layer is a natural layer above the atmosphere that protects the harmful rays of the sun from reaching the planet. The depletion of the ozone layer can have drastic effects on life on the planet as there will be no protections from the UV rays entering the atmosphere. The negative effects of depleting ozone layer are already experienced in regions such as Australia where many people suffer from skin cancer caused by the harmful UV rays of the sun.
The ozone is a thick layer made from oxygen molecules. It is these molecules that absorb the harmful rays of the sun. If the ozone layer did not exist then all living beings on the planet will be dying from skin cancer. The depletion of ozone layer is due to the release of harmful gases such as chlorofluorocarbons in the atmosphere. CFC is added in the atmosphere by the humans in several ways such as the use of aerosols, medications and various other products that involve cooling. Hence we are releasing CFCs in the atmosphere every time we open the fridge or apply deo spray.
The ozone layer approximately 50 kilometers above land. However the altitude of the ozone layer is lesser at the poles. The CFCs released in the atmosphere come in contact with ozone and begin to destroy it. The destruction is specially seen at lower temperatures and the negative effects are seen such as a big hole in the layer covering the south pole. This leads to the release of excess heat in the atmosphere which could be harmful for life in these regions.
In the year 2000, the hole in the ozone layer covering Antartica increased to 29 million cubic kilometers and this size is 4 times the size of the Australia. Many areas in the southern region have experienced destruction in the ecosystems.
Since CFCs have a long life they linger in the atmosphere continuously destroying the ozone layer. Hence even if we stop using CFC products completely in the near future it may take hundreds of years for the negative effects to be nullified. However it is still not too late till we realize the important of the ozone layer and avoid using products having CFCs.