Home
		Our Message
		Our Mission
		Join Us
		Get Local

The Bush Administration says that they are unsure whether or not Global Warming exists. Meanwhile, the citizens of Southern Chile have been suffering ill effects from excessive UV-B radiation for three years!

CLICK HERE to read an article from The Santiago Times regarding record setting levels of UV-B Radiation due to Ozone Depletion

source: SantiagoTimes - September 25, 2000

LA TERCERA

Click Here to View Larger Image

The ozone hole, larger now than ever and covering all of Antarctica and the southern tip of South America, may an abstract concept for most of the world's population.

But for residents of Punta Arenas, a city in southernmost Chile, it is a daily fact of life.

Government authorities in Punta Arenas last week unveiled a special public education program urging citizens to take precautions from the fierce glare of ultraviolet radiation caused by the depleted ozone layer.

 

Developed by the Magallanes Health Services and the University of Magallanes, the program - "Magallanes Ozone 2000" - instructs citizens to minimize their exposure to the sun by wearing wide-brimmed hats, long pants and long sleeved shirts, and religiously apply sun screen on a daily basis.

The program includes a rating system which indicates the degree of ultraviolet radiation danger by yellow, orange and red alerts, and will go into full effect in mid-October.

"Since the beginning of September, we have seen a worrisome decrease in the level of ozone to around 220 Dobson Units," Claudio Casiccia, head of the Ultraviolet Radiation Monitoring Laboratory at the University of Magallanes says. "This is a situation that emerged at the end of the 1970s and is worsening every year." Magallanes Ozone 2000 declared the first yellow alert of the year Sept. 19 when ultraviolet radiation levels surpassed a rating of 4.4.

According to Hernan Olivares, an environmental engineer and director of Magallanes Ozone 2000, the goal of the rating system is to alert and protect citizens when ultraviolet radiation reaches potentially dangerous levels.

Known health problems stemming from exposure to UV light include varying degrees of sunburn, vision problems and the long-term risk of skin cancer.

"The recommendations to the public are being transmitted through a media campaign that includes advertisements and announcements on regional television, radios and newspapers alerting the public one day in advance when a warning will be in effect," Olivares said.

The environmental expert added that the most dangerous times of day are from around noon until 3 p.m.

In addition to the use of protective hats and clothing, the Magallanes Ozone 2000 campaign recommends using sunglasses with UV filters and maximum-protection sun block. Olivares said people with lighter complexions face a higher risk of skin damage.

Other program recommendations include keeping infants entirely out of the sun until six months of age. Older babies and children should only go in the sun for short periods of time and always with plenty of sunscreen.

According to Jorge Flies, Director of Health Services in Magallanes, the campaign was designed to present clear and simple messages about the dangers of UV exposure. In contrast to the technical criteria used to determine UV danger on any given day, which is highly complex and difficult for a layperson to understand, the Magallanes Ozone 2000 project offers citizens a straightforward way to assess the health risks and take appropriate precautionary measures.

According to Flies, the yellow alert does not include suspending school classes but does mean that sports practices and other activities cannot be held out of doors. He emphasized that the dangers of ultraviolet exposure are equally serious on sunny and cloudy days.

Notwithstanding the precautions recommended by Magallanes Ozone 2000, experts are predicting an increase in the incidence of skin cancer over the next five years.

Jaime Abarca, the only practicing dermatologist in Magallanes, says he has seen a steady increase in cases of moderate to severe sunburn over the last several years. Abarca added that the majority of Magallanes residents are fair skinned and hence more susceptible to severe burns and skin cancer.

Notwithstanding the obvious health risks, Olivares says he does not expect residents to begin taking the recommendations seriously for another year.

"For that reason, we will begin conducting informational workshops in high schools, preschools and neighborhood associations, so that the public knows what we are talking about and what measures they should take when we announce a yellow or red alert," he said.

NASA predicts the ozone hole will continue to grow throughout the late spring and early summer, reaching its peak in three to four weeks.