The Laughing Gas Threat

The biggest threat to the ozone, according to a recent study, is laughing gas. Yup, good old N20 is the new villian. Perhaps just another reason to avoid the dentist? Well, not exactly. The nitrous oxide in the air comes from fertilizer and animal waste.

The good news is that we've seen this before. Remember the '80s? Metal bands like Poison and Winger were using enough CFC-rich hair spray to deplete our precious ozone. Fortunately, we realized the threat and got interested in grunge rock and hip-hop by the early '90s, killing off the hair bands and their evil ways. Also, the Montreal Protocol, when 190 nations agreed to ban the use of CFCs, probably helped.

Now we need to find a way to regulate nitrous oxide. The Kyoto Protocol called for regulations, but of course, not everyone singed that one. And it runs out in 2012. Stay tuned.

Final note -- I love the internet as much as the next guy. But when you start a blog, and then get busy and distracted, it can be somewhat embarrassing that the blog sits there. The last post, its date stamped visibly next to the title, can be cringe worthy.