Acid Rain

A question posed in my collage class with my answer:

Acid rain is a problem affecting many cities in the United States and other countries. What are the impacts of acid rain and what should we do to minimize its impact if any?

As we continue to spew toxins and chemicals into the air, what goes up eventually comes down. Sulfur dioxide (SO2) and nitrogen oxides (NOx) are pumped into the air by way of fossil fuel emissions (Vehicle=Fuel and smokestack=coal), which travel miles away where precipitation brings it back to earth. Acid is a corrosive breaking down things in its path (metals, rocks, trees, plants, etc… http://epa-acid.notlong.com). It eats away at everything from buildings to life-forms. It breaks down minerals and other food sources which affect those life-forms that depend on them. Everything from birds, fish, insects, animals, and people are all affected by its destruction.

I just thought of something profound about humans that animals are smart enough not to do (in most cases); “Bite the hand that feeds them.” In essence, we are trashing the environment that supports our lives. Not too smart!

Here are things we can do to improve our world:

1. Reduce the amount of pollutants we propel into our air http://acid-rain.notlong.com

2. Create fines that are reasonable and that directly finance environmental restoration

3. Develop alternative, renewable energy sources

4. Develop better ways to trap and dispose of the toxins we generate from burning