News: The ozone says not to call it a comeback; it's in fact been here for years

[FanIn80]

I came across this bit of news while looking into UFOs, airspeeds and atmospheric layers (obviously).

Turns out we may be saved afterall!

In new research, NOAA found that global concentrations of the harmful chemicals that damage the ozone layer have declined just over 50% in the mid-latitude stratosphere, to levels observed in 1980. The continued decline, NOAA scientists said, "shows the threat to the ozone layer receding below a significant milestone in 2022."

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/ozone-l...-drop-50-noaa/

The 2022 index for the Antarctic has fallen 26% from peak values in the 1990s, with recovery of the Antarctic ozone layer projected to occur sometime around 2070.

https://research.noaa.gov/article/Ar...cant-milestone

[undercoverbrother]

Props on the thread title brah

[activeStick]

Yeah, I remember watching something a few months ago about the ozone layer and how it was one of the times as humans, we actually rallied together, made meaningful changes and saw a positive outcome as a result. This was all in the 80s when I remember seeing all the ad campaigns around harmful CFCs (I think?).

[undercoverbrother]

This thread makes me wonder whatever happened to Acid Rain?

I remembering being a kid in the Maritimes and hearing how Acid Rain from the US Northeast was blowing up to disintegrate us all.

[Locke]

So you're saying we fixed the hole in the Ozone layer? And we were barely even trying!!

[FormerPresJamesTaylor]

Once Jerry O'Connell stopped using all that aerosol spray in the 80s the ozone repaired itself.

[SebC]

Originally Posted by undercoverbrother

This thread makes me wonder whatever happened to Acid Rain?

I remembering being a kid in the Maritimes and hearing how Acid Rain from the US Northeast was blowing up to disintegrate us all.

Desulphurization is what happened. Combination of switching away from high-sulphur (sour) fuels and scrubbing the emissions where they are in use. In Alberta, upgraders remove the sulphur from bitumen at the source, which yields a safer, less corrosive product for shipping and prevents the sulphur from being emitted upon combustion. The deindustrialization of North America also played a role in reducing the problem locally.

[timun]

Originally Posted by undercoverbrother

This thread makes me wonder whatever happened to Acid Rain?

I remembering being a kid in the Maritimes and hearing how Acid Rain from the US Northeast was blowing up to disintegrate us all.

Much like the ozone layer crisis was resolved by outlawing the production and use of ozone-depleting substances (primarily CFCs), acid rain has been mitigated somewhat by much more stringent emissions standards in power plants and cars.

E.g., here's what NOx emissions in the US have been over the last 50 years:


(source: https://www.statista.com/statistics/...-emissions-us/)

Emissions peaked in 1980 at 27,079,000 tons; last year they were 7,645,000 tons. A 72% drop in 40 years.

[SebC]

And here's SO2, 94% reduction since 1970.

[Samonadreau]

^ Those are just for the US though right? Globally emmissions are still getting worse aren't they?

Basically North America and Europe are doing there part.

[shermanator]

Isn't it amazing what happens when all countries come together and agree on something for the greater good of this planet?

[AFireInside]

Originally Posted by shermanator

isn't it amazing what happens when all countries come together and agree on something for the greater good of this planet?

But they are trying to take away our trucks and make us eat crickets!!!!

[Ozy_Flame]

Originally Posted by AFireInside

But they are trying to take away our trucks and make us eat crickets!!!!

We are currently in the toxic individualism age. I'm crossing my fingers when we're through this, we can continue to achieve positive, real change - together - as a species.

[SebC]

Originally Posted by Samonadreau

^ Those are just for the US though right? Globally emmissions are still getting worse aren't they?

Basically North America and Europe are doing there part.

Yes, but acid rain isn't globalized to the extent that global warming and ozone depletion are. So for the regions that have implemented the solutions, the problem is effectively solved.

[Fuzz]

Originally Posted by activeStick

Yeah, I remember watching something a few months ago about the ozone layer and how it was one of the times as humans, we actually rallied together, made meaningful changes and saw a positive outcome as a result. This was all in the 80s when I remember seeing all the ad campaigns around harmful CFCs (I think?).

I was browsing throguh some right wing loony site or something, and maybe it was a twitter video? I dunno, but the guy was talking about covid being a fraud, and brought up the ozone hole, that "maybe that wasn't real either. Maybe that was just to scare us and some company that had better hair spray started the rumour about it." I dunno, people are ####ing nuts. I think his point was don't believe that we solved it, it was never a problem.

[GGG]

Originally Posted by Samonadreau

^ Those are just for the US though right? Globally emmissions are still getting worse aren't they?

Basically North America and Europe are doing there part.

Nox and Sox and acid rain in general are local affects. Rain locally strips it out from the air.

However high emissions in developing nations are starting to have some affects on oceans and even into North America.

[Samonadreau]

Originally Posted by GGG

Nox and Sox and acid rain in general are local affects. Rain locally strips it out from the air.

However high emissions in developing nations are starting to have some affects on oceans and even into North America.

I guess I was more referring to Nox than SO2, but also just the generalization that emmission numbers from The US over time probably dont reflect whats going on globally., Also the thread being about the Ozone layer and not acid rain. Either way ill take the good news for aure.

[Dion]

Now if only the ozone layer on the top of my head could grow back some hair

[Sr. Mints]

Originally Posted by undercoverbrother

This thread makes me wonder whatever happened to Acid Rain?

I remembering being a kid in the Maritimes and hearing how Acid Rain from the US Northeast was blowing up to disintegrate us all.

Or the Hantavirus. Or Ebola. Or West Nile. Or Monkeypox. Or, or, or, or. Every few months seems like a new theme; one media outlet runs with a theme, then they all do. And as media has gotten smaller, the problem has gotten more widespread. And to clarify, I'm not talking about hard news, I'm talking about the presentation of this news by media.

I think the media response to, well, everything lately--the hyperbole, the fear, and stigmatization--has unwittingly played a large role in fostering the misinformation zealotry and polarization seen today.

*I have no data to back up anything I've just said, and you're welcome to assume I'm blowing smoke up your arse. I very well could be.

[Party Elephant]

Originally Posted by Sr. Mints

Or the Hantavirus. Or Ebola. Or West Nile. Or Monkeypox. Or, or, or, or. Every few months seems like a new theme; one media outlet runs with a theme, then they all do. And as media has gotten smaller, the problem has gotten more widespread. And to clarify, I'm not talking about hard news, I'm talking about the presentation of this news by media.



I think the media response to, well, everything lately--the hyperbole, the fear, and stigmatization--has unwittingly played a large role in fostering the misinformation zealotry and polarization seen today.



*I have no data to back up anything I've just said, and you're welcome to assume I'm blowing smoke up your arse. I very well could be.

Yeah but ozone recovery is a success story of people coordinating and doing something about a problem. It's not a case of the media made too big a deal about something 30 years ago and then it just went away on its own, it took collective action to get here.