Ozone Levels Falling Fast in the Arctic: Big Deal?

The countries are just discussing about who will get the rights about the sailing in the areas (because the ice is getting so less, that it will be possible to sail hwere was not possible before) and besides it will possible to extract new energie resorses (also if it s also said that for example in Russian in Siberia it will provokes the disimprisonment of letal gases)...that means nobody who has the power is interesting to do something for....it will be the end.

Many animals could lose their homes if the ice in the arctic melts away, which could result with extinction to some of the Earth's most precious animals in the parts of the Arctic World.

Looks like the have a handle on this. Colder arctic winters will make some of the ice, that the tree hugers and that damned polar bear worry so much about, come back.

All the chicken littles and tree huggers better worry about this current DC administration destroying the USA a hell of a lot quicker than the Ozone shrinking.

With the cuts to the space program and the number of people that believe this is the only planet that can sustain life it is bother some to see the planets slow death.

My first impression when reading the questions was ; Hell yes! but after reading the entire rather boring article it seems its a yearly phenomenon, mostly caused by lingering cfc´s from years/decades ago and extreme cold weather....pass some extra sunscreen if you go up in to the arctic circle in summer and ride it out...should be all sorted out in a few decades right? o.O

It's all a part of God's end time show! Sit back and enjoy!

And if you're wrong? You're putting a lot of other people at risk with your arrogance.

Eeehrm he´s talking about armageddon coming and you complain he´s putting people at risk with his arrogance? o.O Im a little confused...hell...Im very confused

Just to point out what Im confused about

- I dont see the arrogance
- I dont see how he puts people at risk
- If he talks about armageddon coming wouldnt it be in our best interest if in fact he IS wrong?

(that pretty much includes your entire answer doesnt it? :/ )

His philosophy is that we should sit back and not worry about problems that we're causing because it's "part of God's end time show". Well I don't believe that. I think the human race still has a long time left, and we need to fix the problems that we cause.

What he's advocating does put everyone at risk because he's telling everyone that we're not causing problems that we actually are causing. And if we don't stop to fix these problems, we'll cause a lot more. That is risky.

It is also arrogant because he's willing to risk so much based on his personal belief that it's the end of the world. He's actively encouraging apathy towards real problems that need to be solved. Why is this tolerated?

I think its funny that the government and big industry managed to convince us it is in our power to fix the problems the planet faces AND if we dont fix it somehow we are to blame personally while looking at the big picture the only real big change can be made if government steps in.... that would leave us with the option to hold our government accountable directly...hows that working out? Perhaps it is better in some cases to do sit back and enjoy the show, it beats becoming just another voice in an ugly argument...

Looking at this specific problem there isnt a damn thing we can do about it and looking at the bigger picture what can you do? Recycle? (new recycle plants can do that for you in a more energy efficient way) Switch your lights off more? (why doesnt the government invest more in clean energy then it wouldnt matter if you turn a light on) Get in to politics? (we all know what politicians can achieve)

I think its more defeatist than arrogant, non-believers could make similar remarks without the believe/hope that its all part of a bigger plan ^^

You just shifted the discussion. What you said, though I disagree, at least uses logic. KFOR777 did not use any logic at all, and just said we shouldn't care because of his personal religious beliefs.

I agree that it's unfortunate that our options are limited. But the very least we can do personally is to lead by example. Me personally putting down the car keys and riding a bike and buying local food isn't going to change the world, but if everyone did it, then it would make things better. Until you're doing your part personally, you don't really get to complain about being unable to change things.

*grins* Now thats something I can agree with...earning your right to complain...the only reason I still drag my ass to the voting booth. (also all lights in my house total less then 150watts and I grow ´bout 50% of my own food nowadays)

However I cant blame people from having a fatalist mentality nowadays...even with all people riding their bikes, saving electricity and water at home it does not compare in anyway to what gov and big corps are doing...you ride through a shoppingstreet at night you see the stores lit up like its xmas, you have energy companies not using the full potential of clean windturbines because not enough end users opted for clean power so they just turn of some of the turbines...

You get bombarded with messages that tell you you have to do your part and next to it endless newsreports how the planet is going to hell.... who wouldnt lose hope? Isnt that exactly what said government and corporations want you to feel? hopeless and powerless... we can say we all do our part but we let those that can make the difference get away with continuous screwing our envirement and give us the feeling its our own fault...

You're right that government and corporations are also huge contributors to the world's problems. But they only succeed because we willingly give these corporations our money, and we willingly vote in our leaders.

Every action you take is a vote. Every dollar you spend is a vote in favor of that company. You know that voting in the elections is extremely important, so you're not defeatist in that regard. So why be defeatist in regards to the rest of the worlds problems?

You don't like that your energy company uses coal power? Install solar panels. Don't like that Monsanto's GMO hybrid foods are being shipped all over the country? Buy local, organic crops. Upset about gas prices, foreign wars, and corrupt oil companies? Stop giving them your money.

Be the change you want to see in the world.

Wouldnt it be great if you always had the choice... ;)

What do you have no choice in? What are some examples of change you'd like to see in the world, but you are incapable of doing your part for?

I´d love to have solarpanels but they are way to expensive...I calculated the amount I´d need and its just not an option.

My car runs on both alcohol and gas but the alcohol costs almost the same and gives you some 30% less clicks per liter so also not an option (income can be a real b*tch when it comes to choices)

I love to recycle but I´d have to drive around 15-20 miles extra to deliver my trash somewhere if I´d do it.

etc etc

like I said, I grow a lot of my own food, I use energy saving lamps (cause they dont cost that much more in the longrun) I use reusable shoppingbags etc and I do it all to earn my right to complain but to say I actually feel like Im making a difference bah

I can see a lot of things I´d like to do different but (for a large part because of income) I am incapable of doing so...
Its another way the government could make a huge difference...for instance by lowering taxes on ethanol, solarenergy, getting more options for recycling etc etc

I see. That's good that you care a bit. I bet if you stretched your imagination enough, you could find other ways to help ;) But I don't know your situation, so I can't judge.

If you were a student of eschatology, you would understand what I mean. But I will forgive you for your ignorance. :)

Everyone wants to believe that their generation is the all-important, end of times, battle to end all battles generation. We are no different.

I accidentally hit yes , no I do NOT believe it is a big deal . The ozone level waxes and wanes naturally. Get over it.

It is not of man......It is like a earthquake or a meteorite or a thunderstorm not in our control..... It has nothing to do with green house gases or emissions....... People that think that little bitty man could ever have that kind of effect on a planet are delusional.......
Gore took those peoples money and is living large on that hoax. Wise up and listen to Real scientist...

Okay.

http://www.seattlepi.com/defa...

So I'm going to assume the green is the ozone? If so, we are kinda screwed :(

Sure, it isn't an extreme inconvenience now, but start thinking of many years down the line. Sooner we start looking for a permanent solution, the less likely it'll be a huge issue later. But, It's just like people to wait until others start suffering to take action. (ie: building an elevated crosswalk over a road AFTER a kid gets killed by a car... not before- after.)

What ticks me off is that most people I speak to in person on said topic say things along the lines of, "I don't care. I won't be alive to have to deal with it anyway."

It makes me sick.

Chief Sealth (the guy Seattle was named after) once said, "We do not inherit the Earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children."

Yep.

It used to be back when Meathead and Archie Bunker were on TV. Back then they were going on and on and on about the ozone layer. They changed some spray cans and refrigeration and I haven't heard a lot about the ozone layer for a long time. I thought it was cured. Maybe that's what they call Climate change now and it's all rolled up into one.

Not cured but it may be recovering slowly. It'll take decades for significant changes, though.

Here's a little science concerning ozone and climate:

http://www.eoearth.org/articl...

http://www.theozonehole.com/c...

And a little more news:
http://www.physorg.com/news17...

It's not really surprising to me that our pollution has an effect upon global systems like climate, water, etc. and it kind of astounds me that people still exist that think we can toss anything at the planet we want without consequences. Ignorance is bliss I guess.

Thanks! You know the science links:-)

You're welcome. I can usually pick out the junk science from the genuine science even though climatology isn't my branch. Anthropology and chemistry are more my thing.

Cyclical!

Excellently said ......

Not to trivialize it, but this is partly due to an unusual weather pattern, and partly due to the CFC's, which we no longer use that just haven't completely dissipated yet. If I lived closer to the Arctic circle I'd be a bit concerned, at least for the time being. But this doesn't strike me as a sign of anything really bad, long term.

well, while loss of ozone in itself doesn't directly impact us, it means more intense rays on the arctic ice.