Cleaner Earth: Healing ozone hole, less smog, more eagles

By SETH BORENSTEIN
AP Science Writer

As bad as the environment seems with climate change and other pollution, scientists say humanity has also done a pretty good job of cleaning up past messes. More than 25 experts shared their favorite ecological success stories for Earth Day. The overwhelming No. 1 success story is the healing of Earth’s ozone hole. Experts credit a 1987 agreement and ban on certain chemicals for preventing 2 million people from getting skin cancer. Scientists also tout cleaner air and water in industrialized nations and saving of many endangered species. Experts say key to these successes is political factions and different countries coming together to work on a common threat.