Reducing our carbon
footprint, be it in our personal lives or industrial activity remains key to
saving the Earth from environmental degradation.
‘World
Ozone Day’, September 16 commemorates the Montreal Protocol that was signed
on this date by 24 UN member nations in 1987, to limit and ultimately phase out
the production of manmade chemicals like chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) and 95
other ozone-depleting materials.
The slogan for this year “Ozone: All that is there between You and UV” is meant to show how human activity can impact the ozone
layer and ultimately, the survival of the Earth and its environment .
·
The ozone layer forms a protective shield around the Earth and
staves off the ultraviolet radiation of the Sun.
·
The ‘ozone hole’, refers to an area of depleted ozone levels
over Antarctica, which naturally occurs during August to October.
·
“Ozone in the lower atmosphere is harmful for human and plant
life, while in the higher level (stratosphere) it protects our planet against
ultraviolet radiation.
“But we cannot produce ozone and mechanically replace
it in the depleted area.
·
A regulatory mechanism to
check the marketing of gadgets using ozone in processes as varied as
air-filtering and water-purification is
must.
·
“It is important for us to see how we can streamline traffic in
our city,”
·
“In a traffic jam, vehicles that are forced to slow down will
have less fuel efficiency. They will emit more gases and CFCs. The engine heats up, the air-conditioner and
paint on the vehicle get affected, and this ultimately increases CFC emissions.
·
Car-pooling, or using
public transport could lead to lesser vehicles on the roads, he added.
·
At home, consumers could see how much pollutant is emitted by
products such as disposable vessels and pre-packaged foods. “When we burn
disposable paper and plastic items, they produce CFCs,
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