My environmental issue is air pollution resulting in ozone depletion. This deterioration enables harmful ultraviolet rays to come in contact with humans, leading to skin conditions and cancer. This environmental crisis first caught my attention during my health class in high school. My teacher was telling us the statistics of certain cancers for men and women. I learned that skin cancer is the most common cancer, and the amount of people diagnosed was shocking. My curiosity led me to research the topic further. A lot of sources gave advice to help prevent these cancers, some of which included applying sunblock on your skin daily so that the ultraviolet radiations won’t harm you. I read that ultraviolet B radiation is stronger than ever due to the depletion of the ozone layer. It made me really frustrated because I have been hearing about this “ozone layer being destroyed” ever since I was in elementary school. After further research, I was able to understand the negative effects of ozone depletion, and how air pollution is a major factor in causing humans to get ill. Tuberculosis, bronchitis, heart and chest diseases, stomach disorders, asthma and cancers can all be traced to chemicals in the air. Air pollution resulting from ozone layer deterioration releases the chemicals chlorine and bromine. This deterioration allows large amounts of ultraviolet rays to reach Earth, which can cause skin cancer in humans and harm other animals as well. There are three types of ultraviolet rays: UVA, UVB, and UVC. Ultraviolet A rays have the longest wavelengths of the three rays, with wavelengths very close to visible light. UVA penetrates through clouds and is able to penetrate through glass, plastic, and most fabrics. They also reflect on surfaces such as snow, water, and sand. Ultraviolet B rays are shorter, and these rays contribute to tanning and cancer. The intensity of UVB rays vary throughout the seasons. Ultraviolet C rays are the most fatal of the three UV rays, however these do not reach Earth.
My idea is to create a stylish hat that is made from UPF fabric. UPF stands for “Ultraviolet Protection Factor” and is the unit used to describe a materials protection level against UV, similar to “SPF” is used for creams and sunblock. UPF fabrics are uniquely woven and often have added UV blocking ingredients within their thread and dyes in order to keep up to 98% of UV away. Many people receive a large portion of their sun exposure in their cars and sitting by windows. Oftentimes sunblock is not applied year round, especially in cooler seasons such as fall and winter. For these reasons, I chose to design a hat, something people can wear all year round to block harmful rays from penetrating the surface of their skin.
