Excerpt: On aerosols
Q. Dear Umbra,
My co-workers and I are suspicious of buying spray cans, even though we know they no longer contain CFCs. We suspect that aerosol cans contain HCFCs — hydrochlorofluorocarbons — which are proving to be dangerous as well, this time as greenhouse gases. Do all aerosol cans contain HCFCs? And what about non-aerosol cans — are their contents safe?
Kate
Boulder, Colo.
A. Dearest Kate,
An aerosol is a wee particle or liquid droplet that’s suspended in air, including natural forms seen in smoke, dust storms, or sea spray from the briny deep. Naturally occurring aerosols are of great interest to climate scientists, as (of course) are the propellants that shoot products out of aerosol cans…read the rest at Grist.org, one of our favorite eco sites.
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