Question

What is the need to use eco-friendly technology?

Answer 1

Hint: Think about what the suffix ‘eco-’ means and what it means to be eco-friendly on a chemical level. Consider the effects that are seen on our surroundings due to non-eco-friendly technology.

Complete answer:
Being eco-friendly basically means that we have to use technologies and methods that do not cause any harm, or disrupt the ecosystems that are thriving on our planet. This eco-friendly technology makes use of substances that are biodegradable in nature and do not stay in their original form for a long time once discarded. An example of a non-biodegradable substance is plastic which does not decompose for thousands of years.
To understand the need to use eco-friendly substances, we will consider an example and then go about solving the question. Let us take the example of the ozone layer. We know that the ozone layer consists of ${{O}_{3}}$ molecules that absorb the ultraviolet rays coming from the sun by the breaking and making of bonds. Due to the rampant use of chlorofluorocarbons in our cooling systems. These chemicals rise up to the ozone layer, and disrupt the chain reaction for which the UV rays are required. Thus, the need for UV rays is eliminated and they now reach us and the organisms living on the earth. This is extremely harmful for living beings and can cause diseases like skin cancer.
Thus, we now need to use some alternative chemicals to chlorofluorocarbons in our cooling systems so that they have no adverse effects over the ozone layer.
Other such problems on our planet are, the emission of carbon dioxide, the use of plastic, the use of toxic metals like mercury and lead among many.

Note:
Remember that the UV rays act as a reagent for the breaking and making of bonds among ozone molecules. It is a chain reaction and the chlorofluorocarbons disrupt this chain. Hence, not just the making of one ozone molecule is prevented but hundreds of molecules are prevented and the layer goes on depleting. Thus, even a small amount of chlorofluorocarbons can cause great harm to the ozone layer.