The Ozone Layer Was Doomed Until a Handful of Scientists Stood Up to Power
You might be surprised to learn the hole in the ozone layer has almost healed. Even more surprising? We actually fixed it with legislation. Here's how. Wait…
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Getting every nation on Earth to agree on an environmental issue is tough, but it has been done before. The Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer — or just the Montreal Protocol — is the most successful step we’ve taken to protect our planet to date, but getting there wasn’t easy. When you hear about the ozone layer you probably think of aerosol cans, but the story actually begins with air travel. In the early-1970s jet setting around the world took off, and curious scientists started gathering data on how airplanes were affecting Earth’s atmosphere. Ozone is a vital molecule of three oxygen atoms that exists mainly in the stratosphere, but it’s very rare: there are only about three molecules of ozone for every 10 million molecules of air, Still those .3...
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Getting every nation on Earth to agree on an environmental issue is tough, but it has been done before. The Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer — or just the Montreal Protocol — is the most successful step we’ve taken to protect our planet to date, but getting there wasn’t easy. When you hear about the ozone layer you probably think of aerosol cans, but the story actually begins with air travel. In the early-1970s jet setting around the world took off, and curious scientists started gathering data on how airplanes were affecting Earth’s atmosphere. Ozone is a vital molecule of three oxygen atoms that exists mainly in the stratosphere, but it’s very rare: there are only about three molecules of ozone for every 10 million molecules of air, Still those .3...
