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Air Pollution The addition of harmful substances to the atmosphere has increased greatly as the industrial revolution has made its way to the developing world. Use of cleaner burning fuels in the USA and Europe has been offset by massive industrialization in China, India, and throughout the rest of Asia and Latin America. Vehicle exhaust is responsible for most air pollution, but industrial sources as well as agricultural sources such as methane from rice fields contribute significant shares. Climate Change Since 1850 there has been a mean rise in global temperature of nearly 2 degrees fahrenheit. This increase is correlated with a 28% rise in atmospheric levels of carbon dioxide, a "greenhouse" gas. Most scientists warn that global warming is caused by the use of fossil fuels and if unchecked could eventually cause dramatic shifting of the global climatic zones, elevated sea levels, coastal flooding, and more severe weather patterns. Ozone Depletion Scientists have determined a causal relationship between the use of chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), used as refrigerants, and thinning of the stratospheric ozone layer. While CFC use has been curtailed, CFCs already released will continue to attack the ozone layer for many years. In the Antarctic region, the ozone layer vanishes completely for several months per year. The ozone layer acts as a protective shield against solar radiation, meaning that further damage to the ozone layer could cause increased skin cancer, eye damage to humans and mammals, and reduced crop yields. |