The Depletion of the Ozone Layer From far off in space, you can see our home surrounded by a blue ribbon with a faint tint. The ribbon is almost transparent and is used as a filter to protect all living organisms from the sun's hazardous radiation. It lets just the right amount of light through to supply everything with energy. We know this ribbon, or filter, as the ozone layer. The ozone layer is needed to support life on Earth. In the past thirty, to forty years, it has become evident that something is eating away at the ozone. Eventually, it became clear to scientists and the government that