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The Peterson PerspectiveUltraviolet (UV) Radiation WarningRosalind Peterson July 2008
"…The ozone layer forms a thin shield in the upper atmosphere, protecting life on Earth from the sun's ultraviolet (UV) rays. In the 1980s, scientists began accumulating evidence that the ozone layer was being depleted. Depletion of the ozone layer results in increased UV radiation reaching the Earth's surface. Overexposure to UV radiation can lead to serious health effects, such as skin cancer, cataracts, and immune suppression…” [12] The EPA has been measuring these readings for almost three decades. [15] NASA notes that: "…increased exposure to UV-B radiation has specific effects on human health, crops, terrestrial ecosystems, aquatic ecosystems…and all marine life…" [6] According to NASA, "…aerosols in the troposphere, such as dust and smoke, not only scatter but absorb UV-B radiation…in some circumstances, aerosols can contribute to an increase in UV exposure at the surface…" If ice particles form (from persistent jet contrails as one example), " …The ice particles…allow complete chemical reactions to take place in a manner than can deplete stratospheric ozone…" [23], thus, allowing high UV radiation readings at the Earth’s surface. In 2003, the EPA began to note that their old UV Rating System was inadequate due to ever-increasing UV readings. It should be noted that the old system went from 1 (Low) to 11+ (Extreme). Thus, a new rating system was devised, and without any real public notification, was changed from 10+ to 15. This is a staggering increase in UV radiation being found in the United States and around the world. The EPA records these daily readings on their website and issues 'High' and 'Extreme' alerts which are, for the most part, ignored by meteorologists and weather news forecasters. The following is the EPA Index Scale [16], with definitions: UV Index Scale:
Prior to 2004, 'Extreme' was listed as 8-10+, and now 'Extreme' has been shifted from 11 to 15+ With many readings across the United States, according to the EPA, being listed in the 'Extreme' range means that something has happened which has increased UV radiation readings. We do know that the ozone layer forms a thin shield in the upper atmosphere which protects the Earth from the sun’s ultraviolet rays. It is now believed that a variety of problems due to man-made atmospheric experiments, unchecked pollution, jet fuel emissions (including nitric acid which is known to deplete beneficial atmospheric ozone), persistent jet contrails, jet produced water vapor (a greenhouse gas), and ice crystals, are all contributing to the depletion of beneficial atmospheric ozone which has been protecting Earth for centuries. Human and animal health, tree health, agriculture crop health, marine life…and more…all depend upon atmospheric ozone for protection. When technological experiments and man-made pollution upset this atmospheric balance, we create an environment which is beginning to disrupt the very plant life that we depend upon for food. It is critical that we all address these issues and begin to eliminate or reconsider the effects of these programs on human and plant health. Most meteorologists and weathermen across the United States are not noting the high UV radiation readings in local areas. There is a weathermen "banter" sometimes about wearing sunscreen to protect ourselves against too much sun exposure and warning us to put on sunscreens or stay out of the sun. (Television advertisements are everywhere selling various sunscreen products which may or may not work.) However, most local weathermen don’t notify the public about how high the EPA radiation readings are nor do they let people know how fast skin and eye damage occurs when the readings increase to the 'Very High' or 'Extreme' ranges. Why isn’t the public being warned when the EPA sends out these alerts? The Washington Post reported on July 11, 2008, that the most dangerous form of skin cancer, Melanoma, is on the rise in the United States. [18] The National Cancer Institute study did not examine the reasons for this increase. Could increasing UV radiation levels be a significant contributing factor for these increases? We depend upon pollinators and honey bees for the pollination process which provides the great majority of our food supplies. Nature (2007), [10]: " …The bee is capable of navigating, even on a cloudy day, by cloud-penetrating ultraviolet light. Honey bees also use the sun as a reference point to communicate to other bees the angle of flight to be followed to arrive at newly discovered nectar-bearing flowers." Could the increasingly high UV radiation and Infrared readings be disrupting their ability to navigate, causing their decline? Why aren’t we investigating this possibility? Rickets in children is on the rise in the United States. This bone disease was not in evidence in the United States since laws were enacted to not allow children to work as slave labor in coal mines. Now, a resurgence in this disease is on the increase. Persistent jet contrails may produce, according to NASA, man-made clouds that cover the Earth by adding water vapor (a greenhouse gas), to the atmosphere. Could man-made clouds and white haze be a major cause of the decrease in direct sunlight hitting the earth, preventing humans and animals from receiving enough Vitamin D to prevent rickets? [19] [20] [21]
UV crop and tree health warnings are not given out by weathermen or the news media when they occur in many states and localities across the United States, upon reaching dangerous levels. And no one is making a determination whether crop damage is produced by frost or high UV and Infrared readings. NASA studies reveal " …UV-B impairs photosynthesis in many (plant) species. Overexposure…reduces size, productivity, and quality in many of the crop plant species that have been studied (among them, many varieties of rice, soybeans, winter wheat, cotton, and corn.)…an increase in UV-B radiation has the potential to cause a shift in species composition and diversity in various ecosystems…" Most importantly, " …Overexposure to ultraviolet radiation can change the flowering times of some kinds of plants and therefore will affect the animals that depend upon them…" These changes also have negative affects on pollinators that are needed for crop and flower pollination. [6] In California some Redwood and other types of trees are showing increasing symptoms (dying or abnormally yellowing or browning leaves, abnormal crisping of plant and crop leaves), on the tops of trees, which are not being investigated in many areas of the United States.
Why do we need direct sunlight reaching the earth?
There is a paradox discovered by a team of solar physicists at the New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT 2006) They have discovered that there is less sunlight reaching the earth’s surface which has not translated into cooler earth temperatures.
This leads to questions about man-made clouds being different than normal clouds and how the production of man-made clouds may increase temperatures and UV radiation reaching the earth during the past five years. [23] The Earth’s fragile ozone shield is damaged, allowing UV and Infrared radiation to reach the earth degrading human and plant health, along with crop production. Technology cannot replace our ozone atmospheric shield with increased man-made cloud cover because this process exacerbates global warming and changes our climate, once again negatively impacting human health and agriculture. We must begin to stop atmospheric programs and emissions that are threatening to increase the size of the ozone hole. Only through a reduction of our man-made actions can we restore the balance needed to protect all life on earth. |
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Our unchecked and unregulated atmospheric experiments are beginning to take a toll on the fragile atmosphere which protects all life on earth…including plant life
In addition, crop damage which is thought, in some cases, to be caused by frost damage, is now known to be caused by 'Very High' and 'Extreme' UV or Infrared radiation readings. Many times yellowing or crisping of leaves, wilting agriculture crops, grapes turning to raisins too soon, and the burning of fruits and vegetables on the vine, are not associated with these high UV radiation readings due to lack of information and warnings. 
This study raises questions about how global temperatures can rise when the amount of sunlight reaching the earth’s surface has decreased. And it also raises questions about why UV and Infrared radiation readings are increasing while less sunlight is reaching the earth.