From: Randall Randall (wolfkin@freedomspace.net)
Date: Wed Apr 28 1999 - 09:04:19 MDT
I've lately thought that on Wed, 28 Apr 1999, KPJ wrote:
>It appears as if Michael S. Lorrey <mike@lorrey.com> wrote:
>|
>|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.
Given that the "hole" in the Antarctic was there in the 1950's, before
widespread use of CFC's, it seems unlikely that it will go away.
>According to STUK, the Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority in Finland,
>the UV radiation has increased approximately 12% since the beginning of
>the 1980s. STUK expected a 20-30% increase in skin cancer if no change
>in the population's behaviour appear (like avoiding the direct sun shine).
While I am not sure that 12% increase is an accurate figure, if it is,
that's about equivalent to mov`ing south 75 miles.
-- Wolfkin. wolfkin@freedomspace.net | Libertarian webhost? www.freedomspace.net On a visible but distant shore, a new image of man; The shape of his own future, now in his own hands.-- Johnny Clegg.
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