From: Michael S. Lorrey (mike@lorrey.com)
Date: Mon Apr 26 1999 - 06:22:36 MDT
Gina Miller wrote:
>
> Don't fuel emissions deplete the ozone layer therefore contributing
> to the global warming effect?
The ozone layer is fine for most of the planet. The ozone 'hole' is a
phenomenon which centers around the south pole and forms in winter
there, when atmospheric temperatures are low enough that ozone becomes
unstable enough for chlorine ions to do their dirty work. The chlorine
ions come from several sources, but the exaggeration in the ozone hole
is supposedly the result of increased use of chloro-fluoro-carbons as
refrigerants and fillers for aerosol sprays. Supposedly our emission
levels of these are now low enough that the ozone hole should go away by
itself in 5-10 years.
The green house effect is a completely different phenomenon, reliant on
things like methane gas, carbon dioxide, water, sulphur and nitrogen
pollution, as well as dust particulates of various kinds. Its a very
complex system which has yet to be modeled well enough to come to a
difinitive conclusion as to the cause of, or even if world temperatures
are actually rising. Most weather stations where temps have been taken
are in urban areas that have seen an increase in temperature locally due
to the urban environment development.
Mike Lorrey
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