REDUCTION OF 

ENVIRONMENTAL
IMPACT
ARE WE THE CAUSE OF CLIMATE
CHANGE?
 A MAJOR ASPECT OF
GREEN CHEMISTRY
IS THE EFFECT OF
OUR ACTIONS TO
OUR ENVIRONMENT.
Factories produce dangerous gases
like oxides of nitrogen and sulfur,
causing acid rain, which changes the
pH level of soil and water, killing of
soil and aquatic life. 
A MAJOR ASPECT OF
GREEN CHEMISTRY
IS THE EFFECT OF
OUR ACTIONS TO
OUR ENVIRONMENT.
We burn fossil fuels, produce tons of waste,
and increase CO2 levels.

As a result, we are seeing rise in global

temperature, melting of polar ice caps, and
irregularity in weather phenomena.

We are experiencing climate change.

 Climate change was
primarily due to NATURAL
climate change. 

Processes like dissolving of

CO2 in oceans and
formation of carbonate
from sea organisms caused
the fluctuations of CO2 in
the atmosphere.
 Now, we have added
ANTHROPOGENIC climate
change into the equation.
Deforestation and fossil fuel
burning release greenhouse
gases into the air and cause
global warming.
Use of chemicals with high
relative greenhouse factor
and global warming potential
are also contributors.
 HOW DO WE
KNOW THAT
ANTHROPOGENIC
CLIMATE CHANGE
IS REAL?
 When temperature levels fall, the heaviest isotopes of
water condense faster. Similar to carbon dating, relative
concentrations of heavier isotopes in ice cores can be
translated to how old that layer of ice is.

Gas bubbles trapped inside the layer can give us a

measure of the greenhouse gases present in that time
period.
50 7%

40
13%
33%
30

20

10 20%

0
1 2 3 4 5

27%
With this information, we can
compare gas levels back then
with today. Results show that
the sharp rises with today is an
irregularity and MUST be
caused by major event. And
that is us.
 How do we reduce our
CO2 levels?
1) We can opt for carbon neutral fuels
Carbon neutral means that the amount of
carbon dioxide absorbed during its growth
or formation is EQUAL to the amount of
carbon dioxide produced when it is
manufactured or burned.
For instance , trees are considered CARBON
neutral. Whereas petroleum fuels, biofuels,
hydrogen fuels, wind farms are technically
not carbon neutral, because fossil fuels are
needed in certain parts of the production or
process.
 How do we reduce our
CO2 levels?
2) We can reduce our carbon footprint
Using mass of CO2, this is our direct impact
on the environment. When we use
electricity in our homes, we cause the
generation of CO2 in factories.
In a year, the total amount of electricity due
to our activities is our carbon footprint. An
average adult in the UK uses 9.4 tonnes of
CO2. Imagine people from other parts of the
world! We can reduce our carbon footprint
by reducing our wastage of electricity
,water, and gas.
 How do we reduce our
CO2 levels?
3) We can carbon capture
This is done by liquefying carbon dioxide
gas and storing it under porous rocks deep
into old gas wells. By storing it
underground, we lessen its effects on our
atmosphere.
4) We can carbon offset
By paying an additional cost of ‘carbon
offsetting’ in your services, the government
can pay for new trees to be planted to
nullify the carbon footprint of your service.
Destruction of the Ozone Layer
 It took rigorous research,
effort, and time to convince
the world that CFCs were
destroying our ozone layer.

The hole in our atmosphere is

getting smaller today but back
then, it caused high levels of
UV radiation to reach us,
causing mutations and skin
cancer.
 How did CFCs do this?
First, lets talk about
Ozone. O2 gas in the
atmosphere splits into
two oxygen atoms due
to UV radiation. The
oxygen atom formed
then combines with O2
gas to form Ozone. This
layer of ozone absorbs
UV radiation and
reverse back into O2
gas and Oxygen atom.
Enter CFCs.
CFCs are very stable molecules.
C-F bond is quite strong.
Therefore, they can travel
through the atmosphere without
being broken down. But when
they reach the higher layers, the
UV radiation breaks down C-CL
bonds to form Cl- Radicals. These
radicals react with Ozone to form
Oxygen gas and ClO-.
Afterwards, ClO- reacts with
Oxygen atoms to form Oxygen
and CL- radicals.
 This process reduces amount of oxygen

Montreal gas for the natural formation of ozone

while also allowing the reformation Cl-

Protocol
radical. It is estimated that 1 Cl- radical
can breakdown 1,000,000 ozone
molecules. Therefore, use of CFCC has
been banned in an agreement called the
Montreal Protocol.