World Ozone Day is observed on September 16 every year urging us to ?Keep Cool and Carry On?, so as to protect the ozone layer. Many ozone-depleting substances were used in cooling A/Cs and refrigeration systems. These were tearing a hole in the ozone layer and allowing dangerous UV rays to flow through. We need to reduce the production and use of these substances which are the major contributors to global warming. Many cases of skin cancer may be prevented if we try to completely stop using these substances in our cooling systems and moreover it would make our planet much cooler to live in.

It is just not the government?s responsibility to protect the ozone layer. We as global citizens can do our bit by using our A/Cs, refrigerators and other equipment responsibly. Proper disposal, servicing of these appliances can minimize the emission of these harmful substances.

We can try to help in the following ways:

1.      Buy A/C or refrigerator that don?t use these harmful substances as the refrigerant

2.      Regularly inspect and do a maintenance of our cooling appliances to prevent and minimize refrigerant leakage

On this day, let?s plan and work together to fix the ozone hole.  No hole is too big to fix. World Ozone Day should not be confined and restricted to one day but we as global citizens must try to avoid single-use plastics whenever possible and go in for eco-friendly products to save our environment.

I and my friends, Muhammed Rayhan, Yusuf Ahmed and Alexio Sinu Chettiath and my sister Sai Sahana Manikandan spread about the importance of this Environment day among our schoolmates and classmates through presentations, recycling campaigns and pep talks. Let?s honor the legacy of the late H.H. Sheikh Zayed through such projects and initiatives to support our environment that is consistent with his vision and values.

?On land and in the sea, our forefathers lived and survived in this environment. They were able to do so because they recognized the need to conserve it, to take from it only what they needed to live, and to preserve it for succeeding generations.? ? Sheikh Zayed Al Nahyan

Love the planet, Serve the planet, Heal the planet!