Creative Editing
Chapter 4
Exercise 10
10. Edit this story.
ozone
NEW YORK (AP) -- Alarm over a new report that shows the ozone is deteriorating faster than scientists thought has focused attention on what consumers can do to ease the depletion.
While aerosol cans get much of the attention, the real villan is the auto air airconditioner, environmentalists say.
About a hundred fifty million air-conditioned cars and trucks travel Americas roads. Each carries about two and a half lbs. of ozone-depleting chloroflurocarbons, or CFC's. Thats about 5 times as much as the typical home refrigerator, which contains 6-8 oz.
"Nearly 20% of all the CFCs in the United States is coming from car air conditioners," said David Doniger, director of the ozone project at the Natural Resources Defence Council in Washington, D.C.
CFC's contain molecules of chlorine monoxide and bromine monoxide, which react in sunlight and deplete the protective layer.
The discovery that the ozine layer is thinning at an accelerating rate prompted President Clinton to announce today a quicker pace for phasing out ozone-depleting chemicals in the U.S.
The destruction is allows more of the sun's harmful ultra violet radiation to reach earth, raising the incidence of skin cancer and cataracts. It also can weaken the body's defenses against infection and can damage crops and marine life.
Edie Tshering of the Council on Economic Priorities said the most important thing consumers can do to help stop the release of CFC's is to have there air conditioners and refrigerators serviced regularly by technicians who capture and recycle CFCs.
"When you get rid of an old air conditioner or refrigerator, look into opportunities to have it recycled rather than just throw it away," Tschering said. "There are companies that will do that."
The New York-based council published "Shopping for a Better World," which calls itself a "guide to socially responsible supermarket shopping."
But smart action by consumers will not come close to solving the problem. The ozone threat won't pass until CFC-cased coolers and refrigerators are replaced, and that will be expensive.
Cathy Andriadis, a spokesperson for DuPont, said $135 billion worth of equipment in the United states is dependent on CFCs. DuPont is one of 15 manufacturers of CFCs worldwide.
In the meantime, the council's shopping guide has a few words to sat about those misunderstood aerosol cans.
In 1978, the U.S. government banned the use of ozone-depleting chemicals in most aerosol spraycans. Deodorants, hair sprays and many household spray cleaners are now powered by air pumps or by such chemicals as propane or butane, which doesn't contain chlorine and, therefor, won't damage the ozone layer.
But not all aerosol cans were covered by the ban. "We did a survey by cruising the shelves of supermarkets, drug stores and shoe-care stores, those sorts of places," Doniger said. "We found 150 products with 1,1,1-trichloroethane," or methyl chloroform.
The products containing methyl chloroform include bug sprays, fabric protectors, waterproofing sprays and spot removers.
Methyl chloroform is among a newer generation of chemicals that are safer for the ozone, but not entirely safe. Many belong to the class of substances called hydrochlorofluorocarbons. The are now used in refrigerators and other cooling equipment.
"It's like hitting the ozone layer with small-arms fire instead of artillery shells," Doniger said. "Its still not good for it."
The propane and butane used in some houshold products are the only propellants that are entirely safe for the ozone layer. But they have another drawback: they contribute to the greenhouse affect.
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