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OZONE DEPLETION by Brandon MacGillis |
My twice-for-the-money favorites:
1. US EPA STRATOSPHERIC OZONE DEPLETION PAGE
Our friends at the US EPA have come up with one of the best sites. No, you won't see much blame directed at the companies who brought us ozone depletion, but that's not the EPA's job. Instead, the site is broad in scope, covering all major areas of ozone depletion including: the science basics, health effects of ozone depletion and precautionary measures you can take (debunking some of Rep. Tom DeLay's myths) and alternatives to ozone-depleting chemicals. Layout is well done and easy to read.
2. NOAA's "Our Ozone Shield"
If you don't know anything about ozone depletion, or want to wipe your slate clean of any Rush Limbaugh corruption, START HERE -- basic site, few graphics, and very text intensive. This is no MTV, but it will walk you through the history of ozone depletion fairly intelligently. Remember this is a government site so it has some revisionist history. You won't find anything about the trade association and corporate-backed efforts to forestall legislation on ozone depletion. But that's OK, just know something is missing.
3. NOAA's Total Ozone Mapping Spectrometer (TOVS) Home page
Hi-tech oriented and more colors than a Dead show. Near real-time images of ozone depletion from NOAA satellites. Problem is, if you ain't a scientist with a Sun Workstation, it's hard to conclude much. Wait for the peer-reviewed conclusions before writing your press releases.
4. Greenpeace Ozone Crisis
Nice layout, great graphics, easy to read. This site doesn't pull any punches when it goes after the big chemical companies that gave us the ozone hole. This is a good page to get the activist in you riled up, even if there isn't much current work being done on this issue by Greenpeace.
5. CIESIN - Ozone Depletion and Environmental Changes
The best site out there for health effects from ozone depletion. Gives a good overview and background of ozone depletion. Text oriented with few graphics, somewhat technical, but still an informative site.
6. Ozone Action
One of the only groups currently working on ozone depletion. A good site for pulling everything together on ozone depletion. Site includes detailed fact sheets on ozone depletion effects, information on the bad guys, current campaigns, and the latest news. It is also the best place for links to other great sites. And while you're there you can learn about another pressing atmospheric threat, climate change.
7. Cancer Research Foundation of America
Good site on the dangers of skin cancer. Gives you the steps for early detection, prevention, risk factors, symptoms, and some pretty scary facts about how many people get skin cancer and how many die from it. It does not mention ozone depletion, but you can draw those links yourself.
8. WMO/UNEP Scientific Assessment of Ozone Depletion: 1994
Great source for ozone depletion information. This book is a survey of all the recent (1994) data on ozone depletion. The site pulls together the thinking of 295 international scientific experts on ozone depletion. No bells and whistles and very text intensive but what should impress you is the list of Co-Chairs.
Brandon MacGillis is Director of Campaigns and Research at Ozone Action.