CHEMISTRY & HISTORY

 I'm sure many were discouraged to see the title of this entry.  Well, I'm not really sending you back to high school chemistry or world history class.  You'll be able to follow this.  Just skip over some of the minutia which I can't help throwing in. 

Up into the 1980s, I used spray deodorant religiously.  Right Guard was one of the major brands of the day - it's also the position I played in football.  Oh, yes, I smelled goooood.

In 1987, representatives from around the world had a meeting in Montreal, Canada about a problem scientists perceived in between us and outer space.  It seems there is a layer of "air" up there that is made up of much more ozone than the air we breathe.  Ozone is chemically O³ - oxygen is O².  That layer in the stratosphere with lots of ozone is called the ozone layer - that's a real scientific term.  It acts as a shield for us from harmful rays of sunlight.  

These scientists had found a hole in that layer of air and decided that my Right Guard had caused it.  You see, spray deodorants used something called CFCs (chlorofluorocarbons) to propel the good stuff out of it's nozzle.   You guessed it;  CFCs were destroying the ozone layer.  With this knowledge, most countries agreed to stop the use of CFCs in all products manufactured in their country and Voila!  Stick deodorant.   And it worked!  I haven't heard a word about the ozone layer for years.

Here's the problem.  Some manufacturers switched from CFCs to HFCs (hydrofluorocarbons) for spray applications.  HFCs do not harm the ozone layer.  That's good!  HFCs are used mainly as refrigerants.  That's good.   And the rest of the story:  HFCs are a potent greenhouse gas.  They contribute to "global warming".   

Right Guard is still around.  It comes in stick, gel and aerosol.   If you buy the aerosol, that little girl from Sweden may come after you with a club.  Watch out!

What's the point of all this gibberish?  It's easy to chase your own tail while trying to solve a problem.  

I have a great solution.  We've been inundated with hand sanitizers for the last two years.  It is claimed that it kills 99.99% of germs, sanitizes whatever it touches, and leaves hands feeling soft and gushy.  I suggest rubbing some of that stuff under your arms.  It's gotta do the trick.  

😂