Re: Ozone hole myths (was: Kyoto, Driving our car)

Warrl kyree Tale'sedrin (warrl@blarg.net)
Tue, 9 Dec 1997 22:08:43 -0800


> From: Hal Finney <hal@rain.org>

> I didn't know much about this issue, but I've just browsed the web a
> bit to find some information about the ozone problem.
>
> "Warrl kyree Tale'sedrin" <warrl@blarg.net> wrote:
>
> > (1) What is the primary source of chlorine in the atmosphere?
> >
> > (2) More specifically, what is the primary source of chlorine in
> > the upper atmosphere over Antarctica?
> >
> > (Surprisingly enough, the answers to the two questions are
> > different).
> >
> > (3) How do human (industrial and other) emissions of chlorine into
> > the atmosphere relate or compare to either of these?
> >
> > (4) How much human-source chlorine is specifically in the upper
> > atmosphere over Antarctica?
> >
> > (Answers: oceans, a volcano, infinitesmal, and essentially none.)
>
> Here is a page on "ozone myths" from the EPA:
> http://www.epa.gov/docs/ozone/science/myths.html
>
> Following the link about sources of chlorine, we find:
>
> > Myth: Volcanoes and the Oceans are Causing Ozone Depletion

Myth: I said that volcanoes and the oceans are causing ozone
depletion.

Fact: I said nothing of the kind. I merely said that chlorine
releases from human industrial activity are incredibly tiny in
comparison to either of these natural sources.
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