Man-made global destruction The greenhouse effect and ozone depletion are two of the most widespread environmental problems in the world. on a global scale today. Greenhouse gases have the ability to absorb infrared radiation from the sun. Global warming refers to an increase in average global temperature due to natural and anthropogenic causes. Ozone depletion describes an observed 4% decrease in ozone per decade in the total volume of Earth's stratosphere and seasonal ozone depletion events. Ozone levels in the stratosphere are normalizing thanks to the Montreal Protocol, but the concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere is increasing and we could see the melting of permafrost in Siberia and Alaska, which contains large amounts of methane, which could lead to “irreversible environmental change”. Greenhouse effect: In addition to water vapor, our environment contains six main greenhouse gases: carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, hydrofluorocarbons, perfluorocarbons and sulfur hexafluoride. The first three are present naturally in the atmosphere, the others are synthetic and used in industry or as by-products of industrial processes. Carbon dioxide: Carbon dioxide is produced by the respiration of all aerobic organisms, emitted by volcanoes and other places where the earth's crust is present. thin and emitted from carbonate rocks by dissolution, found in lakes, deep under the sea and mixed with oil and gas deposits. It is also produced in artificial environments during the production of coal or hydrocarbons and fermentation in the making of beer and wine. Methane: Methane is produced in natural environments in a process called methanogenesis which is used by microorganisms as an energy source CO2 + 8 H+ + 8 e− → CH4 + 2H2O. This is a middle of paper......one/ozone_holemap_650.jpg. [Accessed April 26, 2014].CFC Alternatives - EasyChem - The ultimate resource for HSC Chemistry: syllabus-based point study notes/summaries, past exam papers, and more. 2014. Alternatives to CFCs - EasyChem - The ultimate resource for HSC Chemistry: syllabus-based point study notes/summaries, past exam papers, and more. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.easychem.com.au/monitoring-and-management/the-atmosphere/alternatives-to-cfcs. [Accessed April 26, 2014].Connection - The New York Times. 2014. Connection - The New York Times. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.nytimes.com/2014/05/12/us/politics/rubio-says-he-is-ready-to-be-president.html?_r=0. [Accessed May 14, 2014].2014. . [ONLINE] Available at: http://www1.ncdc.noaa.gov/pub/data/cmb/images/indicators/800k-year-co2-concentration.gif. [Accessed May 14 2014].