Ozone Hole Auctioned on eBay

The hole in the ozone layer in the stratosphere over Antarctica.

Photo: NASA

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The 2008 ozone hole is up for auction.

eBay, through its eBay Giving Works, is auctioning the ozone hole in April and May, to benefit theozonehole.com. The eBay item number is 280222270428.

The Website www.theozonehole.com provides daily images and updates of the ozone hole from NASA, the British Antarctic Survey, the European Space Agency and Environment Canada. It has a comprehensive database of information concerning ozone depletion and is a unique and valuable educational resource. The Website contains information that is not available elsewhere and presents it in ways that encourage readers to explore the science and policy in detail. Clear illustrations, diagrams and thorough descriptions provide information to a wide range of viewers, from the curious Web surfer to the specialized atmospheric scientist.

The opening bid is $10,000, and winning the auction amounts to buying an ad: "If you are the winner of the auction we will place a banner advertisement or a comparable advertisement vehicle created by your company or organization on the top and bottom of every page of www.theozonehole.com," according to the auction description on eBay.

The ozone hole generally reaches its maximum extent each year in the August-November time frame. The Montreal Protocol set a worldwide goal of reducing the pollution that causes the erosion of the ozone layer, which acts as a chemical sunblock in the Earth's stratosphere, shielding us from harmful radiation. Recently, scientists have discussed how the successful effort to reduce the extent of the ozone hole might actually increase global warming, as a stronger ozone layer will enhance the greenhouse effect.

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