Acid Rain
If it was possible to peer into the future and see the environmental consequences of
mankind’s actions, humans’ harmful contributions to the highly acidic rain levels would be
apparent. Seeing the possibility of a tragic environment in the future would change the ways we
treat our environment today and forever. The environment receives its main punishments from a
variety of sources, ranging from car smog to industrial smog and waste. Acid rain, fog, sleet and
snow all have severely harmful affects on our environment. In order to protect our environment,
humans need to be conscious of the results of their actions and act responsibly to slow down, if
not stop, the negative effects of acid rain on our plant, animal and human life.
Acid rain is rain with a low PH level. A scale ranging from zero to fourteen defines the
ph scale, with zero representing the most acidic, fourteen representing the most basic ph levels
and seven representing neutral. Acid rain can formulate from sulfur and nitrogen, which is
emmited by cars and coal fired generators. America and Europe are the leaders in the war
against acid rain, and are fighting to protect our health and environment. One way these two
regions are attempting to reduce acid rain is by encouraging the use of natural gases rather than
coal in power plants. This is useful because natural gases contain less sulfur. Acid rain is
detrimental to all living organisms and needs to be decreased.
Acid rain affects the entire environment, especially plants and animals. One of the most
harmful effects acid rain has on the ecosystem is its destruction of plant life. Acid rain
containing highly acidic ph levels also greatly affects animal lives. After falling, acid rain flows
directly from the plants, through the watershed and into a stream, river or lake, where it can
dramatically affect aquatic life. During the flow of acid rain through soils and into the watershed
system, aluminum is picked up and dispersed into the nearby streams, rivers and lakes. Aquatic
life can live with a below normal acid level, but the additional aluminum deposited into the
reservoir greatly affects the fish. All breathing organisms are also affected by the acid rain
pollutants distributed into the air. The major source of these air pollutants is nitrogen oxide from
vehicles and industrial sites where fossil fuels are burned. Forest fires, often caused either
deliberately or accidentally by man, are another source of pollution. Ironically enough the
polluter ends up being the polluted.
Humans are affected by their own mistakes. Mankind depends upon plants and animals
for food. Due to acid rain, the entire supply of fish in certain lakes has been wiped out. In
addition to loss of plant and animal life as food sources, acid rain gets into the food we eat, the
water we drink, as well as the air we breathe, and it doesn’t stop there. Acid rain also affects the
buildings we live in and the cars we drive. There are changes we can make to save ourselves and
the environment. To help with acid rain problems environmentalists have come up with some
astounding and revolutionary ideas. One idea is to lower the use of fossil fuels by using cars
operating on battery power and fuel cells, which in turn will lower the negative affects acid rain
has on our environment. The changes we have put our environment through can be reversed.
In order to protect our environment, humans need to act responsibly to help slow down, if
not stop, the negative effects acid rain has on our plant, animal and human life before it is too
late. The effects of acid rain have been a very controversial issue because the environmental
concerns associated with acid rain conflict with our capitalistic society. Humans are improving
their lives with inventions such as the automobile and industrial plants, but these inventions are
damaging the environment which is necessary for human survival. Despite all the negative
aspects associated with acid rain and the depletion of our food and water sources, there is good
news. We learn from our mistakes. Changing our actions now would not solely better our own
lives, but would also benefit all of mankind in the future.