Why You Don't Hear About the Ozone Layer Anymore
Videos
Grades6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12Chemistry, Earth and Space Sciences, Civics
This resource has been reviewed by SubjectToClimate's climate scientists and verified for scientific accuracy and up-to-date information. Learn about our review process →
Provided by Vox
What it is
- This video explains how the hole in the ozone layer was formed, what was done to address it, and how society can apply these strategies to climate change.
- The ozone layer was predicted to be completely destroyed by 2050, but the Montreal Protocol to phase out ozone-damaging substances was eventually signed by every nation and today the ozone layer is expected to recover by 2065.
Teaching tips
Positives
- This video interviews Dr. Solomon, a scientist who was instrumental in the discovery of what caused the hole in the ozone layer.
- This video uses graphs and interviews to make the information more engaging and easy to understand.
Additional Prerequisites
- There are ads before or during the video.
- Students should be comfortable reading graphs and should be familiar with the metric system.
Differentiation
- The chemical reaction between CFC's and ozone is explained, so a chemistry class could use this as an example of a chemical reaction.
- The Montreal Protocol is a unique treaty and would be a great topic to cover in a social studies or government class.
- Biology and science classes could use this video when discussing the electromagnetic spectrum, the atmosphere, the requirements of life on Earth, photosynthesis, food webs, and evolution.
- Some related sources are Climate Contributions, Climate Politics, and Essentials of Environmental Science: Understanding the Atmosphere.
From the scientist review
The resource spotlights practical solutions applied to halt ozone layer depletion. It describes the efficacy of the Montreal protocol and the Kigali amendment to control activities and substances that can potentially deplete the ozone layer. However, climate change is different. It requires more coordinated efforts to halt human activities that can accelerate global warming. Also, stopping climate change requires big solutions and not a silver-bullet solution. There is no misconception in the resource. Thus, the resource is recommended for teaching.
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