Sometimes we don’t make a stop in our lives and think. What we are doing for our planet? Are we taking care of our planet? Does our planet deserve us? These are some questions that everybody has to start to think deeply about in their minds.
Today, we have inherited research from many years ago. The refrigerants represented in air conditioners and refrigerants are also used in cars. The cooling system is being used in our lives every day. The problem begins when we look a little bit deeply and see how the refrigerant works. When they started, manufacturers used chlorofluorocarbons or CFCs gases. Some time later, a scientist Mario Molina from Mexico, made a discovery about this gas. He found this gas is potentially dangerous for the ozone layer. Ben Cubby said, “Synthetic gases used in fridges and air conditioners, now largely phased out because they destroy the ozone layer” (2007, para. 20). The chlorine atoms go to the atmosphere and deplete it. This reaction is produced when the light has contact with the chlorine. And the chlorine that is going up into the atmosphere takes long times to be totally removed from it. Now, since almost two decades ago, a modification of this gas has being incorporated. “Although much slower, HCFCs still depleted the ozone layer” (Siegle, 2009, para. 7). Ben Cubby said the refrigerant gases used to replace ozone-depleting CFCs in the 1990s have a tremendous global warming impact out of all proportion to the often-small amount of gas involved (Cubby, 2007). This gas is dangerous too, but with less effects in the ozone layer; it is being used in the replacement of CFCs. Ben Cubby said, “Hydrochlorofluorocarbons, one of the main replacements for CFCs, they are contained in many current air conditioners and fridges. Better for the ozone layer, but still an extremely dangerous greenhouse gas between 5000 and 8000 times more potent than carbon dioxide” (2007, para. 21). Despite everything and the advantage of technology are hard to see how science is unable to make refrigerants without causing global impact. For this reason, as long as there is not a solution in order to preserve our planet as well as we know it, we have to start to take actions. We need a worldwide policy to treat refrigerants properly.
In the beginning, we have to realize why this problem is growing so fast. Charles Clover said, “The problem is China. It has been producing more and more HCFCs to go inside the 6-7 million air conditioning units it exports to the US alone each year” (2007, para. 8). Facts like this one are what we have to pay attention to. If there are controls on this gas, why are these millions of refrigerants being received in all other countries? If the main idea is to avoid the threatening gases, what’s going on there? It’s necessary to take actions. It’s necessary to replace these hazardous gases for ecological ones. However, as we know, this eco technology is not available yet. Stop manufacturing the refrigerants or air conditioner for free sale. People should take awareness of the future that we are building. Open everybody’s eyes and see how the globe is feeling the price of our desire to stay cool. Just when the mind of the big business people change, the world will get the change of a better future without the threat of about global warming, depleting the ozone layer, depleting of fresh water sources, and changes in biodiversity among other possible effects. Charles Clover said, “This money has been going into the pockets of dirty chemical companies instead of into clean coal and wind power stations as the architects of Kyoto intended” (2007, para. 10).
In support, there we have the fridges. This is the big box where we put our food and our drinks to keep them cool. Fridges also make big deal when refrigerant gases are concerned. Since the fridge was invented, a revolutionary change in the entire world has been made. The people started to conserve the food for longer days. The water could be converted into ice. And the cooked food started to be able to be kept for some days after being cooked.
Nevertheless, we have the other side of the coin. As long as air conditioners and fridges are in the commerce, the people in areas where a cooling system can be used and is easy to get, of course will be getting it. It’s impossible to hide the sun with one finger. I cannot be explaining now my ideas about how the refrigerant gases affect the planet without the conscience; if I use my air conditioner in my home I am contributing to the problem. Just let two kilograms of refrigerants escape to leak, with the passage of time you will have emitted the equivalent of four tons of carbon dioxide (Cubby, 2007).
The increasing in the demand by the people in refrigerants such as air conditioners and cars are growing up surprisingly every single day. For this reason I can say that at this point of our lives eradicating this cooling system is almost impossible. We have to start to change our kind of consumerist mind. We had better not wait until the end and then repent. This is our home; the Earth needs our actions right now. This present is the moment; there not will be regrets and more chances. We are dealing with the future of our children. And for sure everybody wants a good one.
The Earth planet will get our actions. The complete depletion of the ozone layer is near if we don’t wake up. It is not a lie the fact that there is a hole in the ozone layer that is getting bigger every day due to our careless ness. The time keeps running and the time to do something is getting over; this until the point when it will be late.
Now, there we have the actions! As long as we know, environmentalist people are not enough to make the difference by themselves. Then, a group of developed nations years ago met and established The Montreal Protocol. It has taken actions around the world in order to control the hazardous gases emitted that deplete the ozone layer. Just the actions of environmentalists are not enough, and much less when they are not listened to. “China is the world’s second–largest fluorocarbon market, after the U.S.” (Coons, 2008, para. 2).
As was mentioned in the beginning of the essay about CFCs and HCFCs, The Montreal Protocol is for the protection of the ozone layer and with this the avoidance of all damaging gases in the environment. Previously, the Protocol phased out the CFCs gases from all commerce. After doing that, the different stage of HCFCs started and with them the hope of saving the ozone layer. But it was too good to be true. Soon the scientists discovered the threat of the HCFCs and in the Montreal Protocol; leaders took the decision to phase it out too. “There were no breakthroughs at the annual meeting of the Montreal Protocol, but finding to phase out HCFCs was agreed. Meanwhile, EU regulations on ozone protection are under review” (Montreal Protocol, 2008, para. 2).
Obviously, phasing out this gas is easier said than done. “Developing countries must phase out HCFCs by 2030, also ten years early they have asserted that these obligations will be impossible to meet without adequate financial and technical assistance” (Montreal Protocol, 2008, para. 5). As all we know, there are political and economic interests that make the decisions harder to take. Why? The amount of money managed by CEOs is incredible. How they influence the actions of other people is by putting their interest in the middle. Also, we have to think about the economics of each country. In the Montreal Protocol the participants are developed countries. “A voluntary standard for treating end-of-life fridges and freezers has been developed by trade bodies for household appliance manufacturers and electronic waste companies (Fridge recycling standard developed, 2008, para. 1). So, one of the main problems for these countries and their ideas for the ozone layer are the developing countries. These ones are just trying to get developed. In order to get this rise their economies have to work and grow everything possible. For this reason the Montreal Protocol gave the chance to developing countries phase out HCFCs in more years.
There are some countries that are makers of HCFC products. Right now the emphasis is on China, because this country is a leader in refrigerant manufacturers, fridges and air conditioners. China’s economy is growing very fast every year and it showed stop making these systems, which represent big earnings not just for the companies, but also for the government because of the taxes. Also there are the car air conditioners, which represent big values in money for the government when it refers to export taxes. “The protocol allows China to use HCFCs-22 for emissive purposes through 2040, it adds” (Coons, 2008, para. 2). Focusing in the ideas, we should remember the thesis. It obviously is an impossibility to remove these systems quickly from our lives, but the idea to get a worldwide policy to treat refrigerants properly is not crazy and is very available. One idea is to permit just refrigerants in necessary circumstances and in necessary places. It can be a good way for the nations. We should regulate the sale of air conditioners. Just the people who really show the need can get it. Also, regulate the sale of the air conditioners or refrigerants in public service centers, for example, hospitals, banks, or other places that really need it.
Studies have been reached with the purpose of defining all the substances that threaten the ozone layer. The case of the refrigerants is just one of lots of cases about hazardous gases in the environment. The emphasis made on the refrigerants, especially in air conditioner systems and fridges, is because as well as we know and we understand our planet with its different societies, it is not necessary think too much to know how the future of our planet can be with the constant development. The demand for better fridges rises every day and also the demand for the air conditioners. I emphasize the last one, because the reality is that every day these air conditioners will come with cheaper prices, making them more available to all the social layers, poor people, middle class people or for sure rich people. The facility is rising so fast. And one of the most important sides is that the people will start to feel hotter days and will use more and more refrigerants.
In conclusion, there are some facts that affect our daily lives. The environment represents these where we live. Especially my focus in the essay is about how refrigerants affect it, and the actions we take everyday. We use the products or system without thinking how they are made. In that case the refrigerants, and gases, are for cooling. They affect the ozone layer and depleted it. The Montreal Protocol is acting for the benefit of the ozone layer. What we can do and look if really we will do something? The question is for everybody, but the action is just in a few bit hands.
Biography:
Clover, C. (2007, September 21 ) A small milestone. News; Earth Log; p. 16. Retrieved May 31, 2009, from Lexis Nexis database.
Coons, R. (2008, August 2) Developing countries drive HFC growth. Bussines & Finance News. Pg 9. Retrieved May 31, 2009, from Lexis Nexis database.
Cubby, B. (2007, December 24) Earth feels cost of staying cool. Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved May 31, 2009, from Lexis Nexis database.
Fridge recycling standard developed. (2008, September 16) Waste & Resources. Retrieved May 31, 2009, from Lexis Nexis database.
Montreal Protocol. (2008, December 18) Policy Briefing – International. Retrieved June 17, 2009, from Lexis Nexis database.
Siegle, L. (2009, March 15) Two decades on and aerosol guilt is justifiably alive and well. News. Retrieved May 31, 2009, from Lexis Nexis database.
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