Mario Molina's Life

Mario J. Molina was born on March 19, 1943, in Mexico City. When he was a young boy, he converted a spare bathroom in his house into his own chemistry lab, where he performed experiments from chemistry sets. When he was eleven, Molina went to a boarding school in Switzerland. After graduating high school, he studied at several different colleges in Mexico, Germany, Paris, and America. He earned his PhD at the University of California-Berkley in 1972.

Greenhouse gases coupled with chemicals in human-made products increases the rate at which global warming affects us. Burning more fossil fuels increases greenhouse gases’ potential to cause natural disasters that devastate regular lives. The illustration shows a Honduran child searching for his family amidst the aftermath of Hurricane Mitch. (Doc 4) Any natural disaster can be especially harmful to LDCs, since they especially lack the provision of basic necessities and funds to rebuild infrastructure. The fact that a Honduran child suffers as a result of industrialization from distant core regions shows the growing scale at which the negative environmental effects of industrialization encompass. Refrigerants and aerosols release these CFCs that destroy the ozone, and modifications have been made to hinder their damage. Greenfreeze, conceptualized and launched in 1992, is a substance that replaces the classic refrigerant for propane and isobutene, both safer alternatives. Argentina, Turkey, and Russia produce Greenfreeze, while LDCs express interest in investment of the product. (Doc 7) Likewise with refrigerants, propellant sprays now comprise of pentane and butane as substitutes. In Sweden and the Netherlands, over 60% of asthma sufferers have converted to dry-powder inhalers. (Doc 7) The diffusion of alternatives of traditional CFC-releasing products helps the industries spread their innovations, and lead towards eliminating use of harmful chemicals in the

concerned of the effects climate change could have on the world. There is so much evidence that climate change exist so we need to find a way to stop climate change so the effects of climate change won’t happen. We soon learned that the cause of climate change could have been through greenhouse gases. There are different types of greenhouse gases, but the one we’re going to talk about is carbon dioxide. Greenhouse gases (which are located below the atmosphere) are gases that allow light from the sun to pass through the gases and some light/heat back out into space, but a certain amount of light gets trapped on the earth. This is called the greenhouse effect.

However, Gore does not just present the problem. He issues the challenge for the scientific community to seek ways to solve the problem, but he points out that these measures must be taken now. The problem is so severe that actions must be immediate in order to be effective. Comparing today’s environmental problems to the wartime challenges faced by the World War Two generation, Gore urges today’s citizens and scientists to rise to the occasion and be willing to sacrifice, if necessary, to solve the problems that society has created.

The ozone layer is in the Earth’s stratosphere and the necessity of this layer is to protect the Earth from the sun’s harmful ultraviolet radiation rays. “Since the late 1970s, an ozone hole has formed over Antarctica each austral spring (September / October), in which up to 66 percent of the total ozone is depleted” (Ozone Layer Protection). What directly causes holes in ozone are Chloroflourocarbons (CFCs), which rapidly damage the ozone layer. However, with the rising global warming temperature the CFCs’ process is catalysed, further damaging the ozone layer. “According to the estimates made by Dasgupta and Bhaumik (1995), it is likely that 10% decrease in ozone will lead to 20% increase in UV irradiance” (Gangul and Iyer 2006). Once an uncontrolled amount of UV radiation is exposed to lifeforms, especially to humans, “According to the estimates made by Vander Leun and De Gruijl (1993), 1% decrease in total stratospheric columnar ozone (SCO) will lead to 2.3% increase in non-melanoma skin cancer, 2% increase in cutaneous melanoma and 0.5% increase in the incidence of cataracts” (Gangul and Iyer 2006). More devastating effects from the depleting ozone layer are more destruction to agricultural fields, warming of oceans and increased acidity which is diminishing the amounts of phytoplankton, which can immensely affect the stability of the food chain. Therefore, the depletion of

Have you ever wondered where majority of the air pollution comes from and how it’s caused since half of the population here in the San Joaquin Valley are affected due to the contamination of the air. Many people around the world question themselves of air pollution but don’t know where it comes from. It's noticeable for example pesticides, ozone levels rising, vehicle pollution, toxic waste burning, wildfires, and the list goes on. The San Joaquin Valley for many have been battling for better air quality but instead of getting better it seems to be getting worse. The air quality can contribute to dangerous health issues and environmental effects. We humans aren't the only ones who are suffering from these devastating chemicals being used on a daily basis. Humans in general, Environmental Protection Agency, or California have to find ways or solutions to limit the usage of any type of air pollution being spread all around the world. However, air pollution contributes to several health problems that can either be longer term effect or short term effect. Limiting the usage of ozone into the air will reduce the chance of new born children from suffering major effects that can later turn

We have all heard statistics over how unmitigated global warming can lead to rising sea levels, increased temperatures, lower rates of precipitation. The Congressional Budget Office recently found that climate change, if unmitigated, would create costly damage not only to the United States’s economy, but also to the world as a whole (source). Despite a scientific and general consensus that climate change is real and a problem, actual committed action against climate change has been disappointingly slow, until recently. We also know the cause of climate change. The United States EPA finds that “Carbon dioxide accounts for most of the nation’s emissions and most of the increase since 1990” (EPA). What we don’t know is a solution.

Phrases such as “climate change” and “global warming” are often thrown around on the news and in politics; however their meaning and significance was never clear to me. I enjoyed my reading of the Susan Solomon interview because, it was very informative and easy to understand. Solomon’s outstanding achievements as a female scientist are inspiring and remarkable. Her groundbreaking studies in Antarctica concerning the ozone hole, prove to us how important it is to take care of our planet. Human produced substances known as CFCs (chlorofluorocarbons) have damaged our ozone beyond repair. It is hard to believe that humans can be so careless as to destroy their own Earth. Thankfully, “the nations of the world agreed to stop producing CFCs” in 1987.

Climate change, specifically in reference to C02 Emissions released by human use of fossil fuels and their consequential effects on the environment, is perhaps one of the most pressing issues we, not just as Americans, but as human beings face in our lifetimes. Though it may sound like a sensationalist statement the facts are hard to deny. In May of 2013, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

Climate change is a major problem worldwide, the actions of one country inevitably have an impact on the rest of the world, some places more than others. Consequently, it is vital for the entire world to be on board with efforts to resolve the issues. The main cause of “climate change” is an increase in the amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, both naturally occurring and man made, cause the earth’s average temperature to slowly rise. Especially in the past 50 years, the rate of deforestation and the burning of fossil fuels such as gas, oil and coal have significantly increased the amount of greenhouse gases in the earth’s atmosphere (Climate Change and Health). Efforts from a few countries, although beneficial can not fix the problem

In “Kyoto Climate Change Conference”, Al Gore, the Former Vice President of the United States, calls on the heads of state to take action on reducing emissions and protecting the Earth 's environment. Gore mentions environmental problems such as polluted water, dirty air, and destruction of critical habitats that we are experienced have threatened people’s living and future. Gore highlights aerosphere, the most important and most vulnerable part the Earth’s environment, are damaged by gaseous wastes which stops aerosphere dissipating heat and lead to the global warm. Moreover, he emphasizes the global warm causes more serious consequence such as floods, droughts, stronger storms, rising sea level, etc. which will affect the survival of

Climate change is a huge overarching issue that directly relates to almost every environmental issue we are facing today on the planet. In essence, climate change is the main incapacitating factor for the 4 factors of sustainability. The Yale Program on Climate Change Communication and George Mason University Center for Climate Change Communication released a report based on the findings of a nationally represented survey. This report expands upon the connection between scientific findings behind climate change and how the public perceives this

Even if we stopped all of these gasses emitted into the atmosphere tomorrow, we would still see a rise in planetary temperatures of 1.1 degrees Celsius, which is twice the warming experienced over the past century. (Marshall, 2) The IPCC predicts a global temperature rise of between 1.4 degrees and 5.8 degrees by 2100. A global warming episode 250 million years ago wiped out 95 percent of all species on earth. It took a rise in average global temperature of only 6 degrees to trigger this catastrophe. The IPCC?s current worst-case scenario is 5.8 degrees. One can scarcely imagine a more somber warning. (Marshall, 2) If we do not take immediate action to cut down on emissions of greenhouse gasses, we will in effect condemn our children and grandchildren and all other generations to follow to a permanently impoverished and more threatening world dominated by extreme weather and ecological collapse. But who cares about the generations to follow us? One may ask. Well, it has been speculated that low concentrations of toxins into the atmosphere may be the cause for some learning disabilities among children in America. How would you feel if your family was know for being stupid and all generations that follow even dumber, and the reason for such stupidity rested on your shoulders, because you were too lazy and ignorant to realize the

The earth is a beautiful and extraordinary planet, but are we treating it right? For the past 20 decades, temperatures have been rising along with hundreds of factors contributing to it. Climate change concerns the public as they wonder if its occurring, how much has occurred in the modern era, what has caused it, what the effects will be if we don’t do anything about it and much more. Many people and scientist agree that mankind is the number one cause of climate change. Humans have influenced this by greenhouse gases, methane nitrous oxide.

The concept of global warming has become one of the most widely debated and controversial topics of our time. Scientists learned long ago that the earth’s climate has powerfully shaped the history of humanity. However, it is only in the past few decades that research has revealed that humans have a significant influence on the climate as well. A growing body of scientific evidence indicates that since 1950, the world’s climate has been warming, primarily as a result of emissions from the burning of fossil fuels and the destruction of tropical forests. More importantly, an article titled "Global Warming" published in the New York Times shows that methane, a gas that is emitted from landfills, livestock and oil gas facilities,