Transcript:

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Not so long ago, chloro-florocarbons were hailed as one of the more important discoveries of our time, making refrigeration and other processes, efficient and safe. Then a new discovery was made, linking CFC’s with the destruction of the earth’s protective ozone layer, and leaving scientists with a new set of questions about the impact of technology on the environment. I’m Jim Metzner and this is the Pulse of the Planet.

Jim Anderson is Phillip Weld professor of Atmospheric Chemistry at Harvard University.

“I think there are two lessons: One is that we must concentrate on developing new and important structures in chemical synthesis, but that we expend a considerable amount of time and care to understand the impact that these synthetic molecules have on the fabric of life; Secondly, that we adopt a new philosophy in which chemicals are guilty until proven innocent, rather than the reverse. We now have a case where science has clearly demonstrated that fluorocarbons destroy ozone. And it’s time to adopt a new way of looking at these problems in which we assume that a new chemical can be detrimental to life and to the earth. And that we spend at least as much time understanding the ramifications of that as we do on the creation of new molecules. And if we balance our search for new compounds with our search for the impact those new compounds have on the earth, we will come up with a way of thinking and a way of living that’s far more gentle on generations to come.”

Pulse of the Planet is presented by DuPont, to encourage respect for our environment.

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