By: Chuck & Tom

The Ozone layer is a layer in the stratosphere which protects the Earth from the harmful effects of ultra-violet radiation from space. Discussion about the Ozone Layer became popular when, in 1984, it was discovered that above Antarctica there was a hole in the layer. This was not expected and started scientists on a search to discover why the hole had appeared, and what had caused it.

For ten or more years before the discovery, scientists had been warning that the use of chlorofluorocarbons ( cfc's ) in products that discharged them into the atmosphere could cause serious damage to the Ozone layer, but it was difficult to prove. The chemical companies which had most to lose if cfc's were banned mounted a strong denial of the suggestion and insisted that cfc's were quite safe, so very little was done to reduce their use.

Crops also seem to be damaged by extra uv. Some forms of soya bean, an increasingly important crop, have suffered a 25 percent decrease in yield when their exposure to uv B rays was increased by 25 percent. It acts like a sun block, filtering out the dangerous ultra-violet rays from the sun. It also traps the heat in our environment. The environment movement has grown worldwide, with individuals and governments recognizing the concept of sustainability

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