Many human activities are being discovered to cause lots of harm to our environment and the world around us. Besides the more widely known issues such as climate change and rising sea levels, radiation and pollution from human interference have been found to affect the rate of depletion of our ozone layer, a layer of the stratosphere that absorbs around 99% of all harmful ultraviolet rays. Since the late 1970’s, there has been observable severe depletion occurring over the Atlantic region, showing full destruction of the ozone stratosphere from the South Pole. Although the ozone layer was previously known to be gradually decaying due to natural causes, researchers determined that the effect of human activities played a role in ozone destruction far more than they had imagined. The results of this alarming discovery have found how ozone depletion will negatively impact our environment, marine life, and especially the health of our own kind.

The ozone depletion’s effects on our environment are something to be quite concerned about. Since the ozone layer is responsible for absorbing strong radiation that could damage life on Earth, its decay causes unwanted ultraviolet rays to reach organisms, which could impair their health and result in mutations to their genetic code or physical bodies. These strong rays could also lead to a lower rate of flowering and growth in vegetation. Photosynthesis–the process by which green-leafed plants and certain other organisms change light energy into chemical energy–may also be stunted due to the increase in the unfavourable UV light. Although these direct effects on plant life are also detrimental to their well-being, indirect changes to internal workings, such as nutrient distribution within plants and their developmental timing from leaked ultraviolet light can further serious damage to plants. This will lead to disabilities in their chemical balance or biogeochemical cycles.

Another aspect of our environment that will be at risk due to ozone depletion is marine life. The early developmental and reproductive stages of fish, crabs, shrimp, and oceanic creatures can be severely damaged. Though increased ultraviolet rays will have a similar impact on aquatic organisms as they have on plants, there is one organism’s downfall that can induce a detrimental spiral into the oceanic world—phytoplankton. Phytoplankton, which is microscopic marine algae, are the foundation of aquatic food webs. These algae rely on sunlight that reaches the euphotic zone (an upper column of the ocean) which is what allows them to continuously grow and reproduce. However, because of UV radiation, phytoplankton has been discovered to lose orientation and correct motility, leading to a lower rate of survival. The loss of plankton creates a domino effect in countless food chains of marine animals and will heavily be a cause of specie loss amongst oceanic creatures.

Even as we discuss the other negative impacts of increasing UV light, nothing will be at more risk than the health and safety of humans. Scientists have found that excessive UVB light, one variation of ultraviolet radiation, is a major contributor to the development of multiple malignant skin cancers and melanoma. Harmful UV radiation also leads to a weaker immune system and optical damage, like clouding in the eyes. Agriculture and crop production are also affected by ozone layer depletion due to UVB radiation damaging the growth and safety of many more responsive agricultural vegetation, such as soybeans. To add on, the previously discussed risk of the declining phytoplankton population will severely impact the abundance of fish that relied on or ate other organisms that relied on plankton as a main source of nutrition. Animals affected by UV rays will also be liable to disease and a weaker immune system, an unwanted situation in regard to the health concern in human consumption. Arguably the most pressing worry of the depleting ozone layer, the guarantee of human safety will slowly be lost as well.

Notwithstanding these highly plausible concerns, there have been developments of a solution to this issue. In global discussions over the matter of the ozone layer, many countries have been working to lower their production of goods made with CFC’s–such as refrigerators and air conditioners–and ODS (Ozone Depleting Substances) that use chlorine and bromine when exposed to UV light, a contributor to ozone depletion. In general, the ozone has been seen to be improving since the 2000s. Under the Montreal Protocol, many nations have been cutting their use of ozone-depleting substances, a practice that has been met with a gradual change for the better. From the current point of view, it seems like our concerns about this issue may not harm our world too much after all.

Works Cited

Byjus. “Ozone Layer and Its Depletion.” BYJUS, BYJU’S, 11 May 2022, byjus.com/biology/ozone-layer-depletion/.

EPA. “Basic Ozone Layer Science.” EPA, Environmental Protection Agency, 7 Oct. 2021, www.epa.gov/ozone-layer-protection/basic-ozone-layer-science.

EPA. “Health and Environmental Effects of Ozone Layer Depletion.” EPA, Environmental Protection Agency, 18 Oct. 2021, www.epa.gov/ozone-layer-protection/health-and-environmental-effects-ozone-layer-depletion.

European Comission. “Protection of the Ozone Layer.” Climate Action, European Union, ec.europa.eu/clima/eu-action/protection-ozone-layer_en#:~:text=Ozone%20layer%20depletion%20causes%20increased,cataracts%20and%20immune%20deficiency%20disorders.

European Environment Agency. “What Is the Current State of the Ozone Layer?” European Environment Agency, European Union, 8 Dec. 2021, www.eea.europa.eu/themes/climate/ozone-depleting-substances-and-climate-change-1.

Government of Canada. “Depletion of the Ozone Layer: Causes, Status and Recovery.” Ozone Layer Depletion, Government of Canada, 25 May 2010, www.canada.ca/en/environment-climate-change/services/air-pollution/issues/ozone-layer/depletion-impacts/causes-status-recovery.html.

TN Department of Health. “Ozone.” Tennessee State Government – TN.gov, Department of Health, www.tn.gov/health/cedep/environmental/environmental-health-topics/eht/ozone.html#:~:text=Ozone%20depletion%20can%20cause%20increased,fatal%20of%20all%20skin%20cancers.

‍