Oh No! Ozone Depletion!
What Are We Doing to Cause Ozone Depletion
Chlorine and Bromine
National Geographic says, "There is a widespread concern that the ozone layer is deteriorating due to the release of pollution containing Chlorine and Bromine." One small Chlorine atom can destroy over 100,000 ozone molecules. Chlorofluorocarbons, which are ozone destroying molecules, are being released from industrialized countries like the U.S. and Europe. Bromine is a compound that when it gets high into the stratosphere it is broken apart and destroys ozone molecules without destroying itself.
The Average Pollution Everyday Transportation Releases
This picture shows the percent of average pollution everyday transportation releases.
What the Ozone Layer Does
According to this picture the Ozone Layer blocks out direct UV Rays from the sun.
Ozone hole Size
This picture show the increase in size of the hole in the ozone over the past 96 years.
How's the Hole Doing Now?
The ozone hole has steadily increased in size by about 4%. Scientists believe that the hole is increasing in size because of certain manufactured chemical that contain Chlorine and/or Bromine. These chemicals re called "Ozone Depleting Substances" or "O.D.S." "O.D.S" are stable, nontoxic, and environmentally safe chemicals in our lower atmosphere which is why they are used so often. However when these chemicals are released into the stratosphere they destroy many ozone molecules.
See the Hole in the Ozone Layer (1979 - 2012)