Can the Ozone Hole Be Repaired?

"Can't we fix just the ozone hole by pumping ozone into it?" This is the question that my sister asks me whenever we get into  debate about ozone hole and sadly I don't have an answer. But why should one be sad when there is internet available to help you solve the unsolved queries :-D.

Well, here is what I understand from an article that I just read. 

1. First of all, ozone production requires a lot of energy. Obviously we will need a huge quantity of ozone to fill the ozone hole, and we can not prepare that large quantity on land because it requires a lot of energy. In atmosphere this large amount of energy comes from the sun. 
2. Secondly, if ozone is leaked during production, it will act as a pollutant in our environment. Yes!! Ozone is good in the stratosphere, but bad in the troposphere. In troposphere (the layer of atmosphere in which we live), ozone acts as a pollutant.
   
   
   
   
3. Lastly, we do not need to patch the ozone layer ourselves. It has the ability to patch itself. The pollutants that are already present will fall off eventually. What we need to do is to stop adding pollutants that deplete the ozone layer and follow the Montreal Protocol.  According to EPA, if we keep on following Montreal Protocol, the ozone hole may patch itself by 2050.

Montreal Protocol

This Protocol was established in 1987. More than 180 countries agreed to address the problem in the Montreal Protocol. In signing the protocol, those countries agreed to root out the use of ozone-depleting chemicals like CFCs, halons and carbon tetrachloride.

So, do your best and stop or decrease the use of ozone depleting substances.

Hey, What is Water Footprinting????

Water footpriting?? You may not know what water footprinting is. It is a relatively new terminology. Water footprint measures the amount of water used to produce each of the goods and services we use. According to waterfootprint.org,

The water footprint is a measure of humanity’s appropriation of fresh water in volumes of water consumed and/or polluted.

The water footprint looks at both direct and indirect water use of a process, product, company or sector and includes water consumption and pollution throughout the full production cycle from the supply chain to the end-user. For example, water footprint of dairy products can be calculated. This water footprint would also include the water that the cow or any other animal uses, the water footprint of the food that it eats, etc.

Water footprints are of three type:

Green water footprint is water from precipitation that is stored in the root zone of soil and evaporated, transpired or incorporated by plants. It is particularly relevant for agricultural, horticultural and forestry products.

Blue water footprint is water that has been sourced from surface or groundwater resources and is either evaporated, incorporated into a product or taken from one body of water and returned to another, or returned at a different time. Irrigated agriculture, industry and domestic water use can each have a blue water footprint.

Grey water footprint is the amount of fresh water required to assimilate pollutants.The grey water footprint considers point-sources of pollution, or other diffuse sources.

We consume alot of products and services daily. For example, we use water, eat rice, cereals, we buy new clothes, etc. These all products have their own water footprint. So,it is our duty to recognize and leave such products that have large water footprint. For example, coffee and meat have very high water footprints. So, we should avoid coffee and meat when we can.

Following is contribution of various products and services to the global water footprint.

You can calculate your water footprints can be calculated through this interactive quiz.

You can also check you nations water footprint, water availability, etc., through this interactive explorer.

Other than water footprints, there are many other types of footprints. Major footprints are,

1. Ecological Footprint: Measures the use of bio-productive space.
2. Carbon Footprint: Measures the emission of gases that contribute to global warming.
3. Water Footprint: Measures the consumption and contamination of freshwater resources.
4. Nitrogen Footprint: Measures the amount of nitrogen released into the environment in relation to consumption.

     If you like this post or want more information about this (although I am not any expert but I worked on this as a project), please do comment.