Since the start of the Industrial Revolution in the early 19th century, our ability to change the world around us has become profound. At first, the impact on our planet was almost imperceptible, but as we grew in numbers and technological capacity, this influence grew with us. Lately, the effects of our increased activity have begun to manifest themselves in a multitude of subtle and not-so-subtle ways: we have thinned the ozone layer, and we may now be beginning to alter the climate system even in on which we and all other life on Earth depend. In fact, we are experimenting with the future, but unlike a laboratory experiment that can be abandoned and started again if it fails, climate change is something that cannot be easily undone. Whatever happens, we will all be forced to suffer the consequences for a very long time. The author of Ozone and Climate Change - A Beginner's Guide, Stephen J. Reid, has managed to summarize one of the most complex environmental problems in the simplest words. But as he already mentioned, undoing what we've done to the ozone layer isn't that simple. The ozone layer or ozonosphere is the region of the stratosphere containing relatively high concentrations of ozone, a very toxic pale blue gas with a strong odor. . Ozone is formed by the action of solar ultraviolet light on oxygen. Ozone at ground level is dangerous for health. High concentrations of ozone at ground level are dangerous for breathing and can damage the lungs. However, the ozone present in the upper atmosphere is vital to life. The ozone layer blocks most ultraviolet and other high-energy radiation from penetrating to the Earth's surface, but allows enough ultraviolet rays to... middle of paper ... on this planet. Works Cited Lunsford, Andrea A., Ruszkiewicz, John J. The Presence of Others - Third Edition. Boston/New York: Bedford/St. Martin's, 2000, 237-243.Reid, Stephen J. Ozone and Climate Change – A Beginner's Guide. Singapore: Gordon and Breach Science Publishers, 2000.Christie, Maureen. The ozone layer - A philosophy of science perspective. United Kingdom: Cambridge University Press, 2001. Grundmann, Reiner. Transnational Environmental Policy – ​​Rebuilding the Ozone. London/New York: Routledge, 2001.Encyclopedia.com. “The Montreal Protocol.” December 1, 2002. .CNN.com - The Antarctic ozone hole splits in two. Richard Stenger. September 30, 2002. December 1, 2002. .EPA-OAQPS Ozone: good at height, poor near. December 2, 2002. .An Introduction to the Science of Ozone Depletion: Green Nature. December 2, 2002. .