For education that sets an example

Why - The Issues

Although there are many issues associated with being green, the main two are Global Warming and Carbon Footprints.

Every student knows that temperatures near the poles of the Earth are generally low and that temperatures near the Equator are generally high (due to the dispersion of the sun's rays as they hit the surface of the earth).

The Ozone Layer is a layer in the Earth's atmosphere where there are high levels of ozone (O₃).

The ozone layer works to prevent ultraviolet radiation from the Sun entering the upper part of the atmosphere (called the troposphere). This radiation would be potentially hazardous to life on Earth.

However, some of this radiation is now entering into the Earth's atmosphere due to a hole within the ozone layer which has grown to its biggest size yet. The hole is growing due to man's activity. Many man made chemicals such as methyl bromide and CFCs (chlorofluorocarbons) used in things such as fire suppressants and industrial solvents, break down ozone within the ozone layer causing 'ozone depletion'. The increase in size of the ozone hole means that more and more harmful ultraviolet rays are entering the Earth's upper atmosphere (the troposphere) and damaging us and our planet.

In the Montreal Protocol of 1987, 184 countries worldwide agreed to reduce by 50% the use of CFCs and nearly 100 other chemicals by January 2005 and to completely eliminate them by 2010. This has begun to be achieved. However as CFCs and chemicals such as methyl bromide are quite cheap and easy to use, there has been increased illegal usage and smuggling of these chemicals. This has held back the instigation of other, more ozone friendly chemicals.

The increase in size of the ozone hole means that more and more harmful ultraviolet rays are entering the Earth's upper atmosphere (the troposphere) and damaging us and our planet.

There are three different types of UV radiation:

• UVA
• UBV
• UVC

Both UVA and UVB radiation can penetrate skin causing:

• Sunburn
• Skin ageing
• Skin cancer

Besides these effects, UV radiation can also damage your eyes. UVA rays damage the retina of the eye and UVB rays are absorbed by the front parts of the eye, the cornea and the lens.
Eye problems related to UV radiation include:

• Cataracts
• Photokeratitis (corneal sunburn)

UV radiation also damages plants. UVB radiation can change the way photosynthesis occurs within many plant species causing a reduction in their size, productivity and quality of some crops, e.g. corn, Soya beans and some varieties of rice.

Some species of plant are more susceptible to UVB radiation than others which could mean that the species composition and diversity of some ecosystems may change. This could have significant impact on the world. For example reductions in phytoplankton populations could have disastrous effects on the carbon cycle as phytoplankton store huge amounts of carbon within the oceans.

UVC radiation is the most dangerous, but is almost completely stopped by the ozone layer.