The Dangers of Acid Rain

Everyone has heard of acid rain, but many people think of it as a temporary nuisance. However, the dangers and threat to the world is anything but temporary. Acid rain effects all of our lives, and if we don't do something soon, it will become an inescapable problem. But, what is acid rain? According to National Geographic, acid rain is "any form of precipitation with high level nitric and sulfuric acid." Some of it is caused by rotting plants, and another part of it is from volcanoes. However, this is nowhere near the amount of acid rain that is caused by pollution from factories and car emissions, for which we are to blame. Since the industrial revolution, the chemical make-up in the atmosphere has been completely changed, this has caused acid rain to be spread much further than it normally would have. Conserve-Energy-Future says that acid rain is created by nitric/sulfuric acid reacting with water, oxygen and other chemicals in the atmosphere. Wind spreads the compound across large areas, and they fall onto the ground as rain or something similar. This causes the acid to seep into the ground and destroy the surrounding eco-system.

Acid rain effects everything from lakes and rivers to the cars that we drive in. Towering buildings once made out of limestone have slowly started to crumble because of the high levels of acidity found in the rain. Acid rain can cause car crashes because of the lack of visibility that occurs when it rains. 50-70% of visibility issues in the US are credited to acid rain. Paint on cars can be slowly disintegrated, depending on the pH of the rain. Acid rain can also make respiratory diseases, such as asthma and bronchitis, much, much worse. When acid rain falls into the soil, it destroys the nutrients needed for trees and plants to grow, and eventually kills off the forests. Rivers and lakes near factories suffer heavily from acid rain, and sea life in the area dies out extremely quickly. This effects the ecosystem of the river and the surrounding areas, either causing the complete eradication of wildlife in the area, or the relocation of many species. Another thing that's being damaged by acid is the sea life. Acid rain mixes with sea/river water, and over time, the toxicity of water increases, effecting the overall pH of the water. If the water toxicity is too far above or too far below that, then many of the plant and animal life dies off. If we keep polluting the way we are now, it's predicted that the water toxicity will reach the high levels that hasn't been seen since prehistoric times by 2100.

 But what's being done about this? aren't people concerned for our ocean life? Scientists have recognized the problem and are working to reduce the acid rain. For example, Acid Rain Program. This program sets a cap on the amount of sulfur dioxide, nitric oxide, and nitric dioxide a company can produce within a single year. Sulfur dioxide, nitric oxide, and nitric dioxide are the two main components of acid rain. According to the Environmental Protection Agency's website, since the start of the program, there has been a great decrease in acid rain, and positive outcomes like this look like they're not going to stop anytime soon. One short term solution is a process called liming. Liming is when limestone or a similar material is deposited into a lake, which can cancel out acidity levels. Unfortunately this is a very expensive process, and is not commonly used. Keep in mind, that you can make a difference. Turning off any electronics when you're not using them and making sure you turn down or off the temperature when you go out. These two simple things can prevent the damage and spread of acid rain. The key to a better future is in your hands.

A stone gargoyle damaged by acid rain.

A healthy forest 

A forest damaged by acid rain