Acid Precipitation

In the 21st Century

By: Nevine Galapon

The way we live on Earth has caused severe damage. We have

harmed/destroyed ecosystems, endangered animals, have made some
species of animals extinct, which has led to weather patterns that is harmful
to our environment. You might be wondering what type of weather can harm
our environment, and the answer is simple: acid rain is a threat to natural
ecosystems, plants, buildings and potentially our cardiac and respiratory
systems, but thankfully Canada and the United States have solutions that will
help.
Acid rain causes impacts on our natural ecosystems. Environment
Canada states that The impact of acid rain on trees ranges from minimal to
severe, depending on the region of the country and on the acidity of the rain.
Acid rain, acid fog, and acid vapor damages the surfaces of leaves and
needles, reduce a trees ability to withstand cold, and inhibit plant
germination and reproduction (Environmental Canada). The pH levels in
aquatic environments will start to drop when acid rain falls in the bodies of
the water. According of The Canadian Encyclopedia As the pH levels fall
below 5.5, diversity of vegetation, zooplankton, and fish are reduced (The
Canadian Encyclopedia). The CCME (Canadian Council of Ministers of the
Environment) say that the acid in the rain damages the soil by stripping
away the nutrients. (CCME). When the sulfur dioxide reacts to water vapors it
creates smog in the environment. Pollution Probe says that alkaline
substances that balance out the acidity and neutralizes the effect on soil and
water can be depleted if the rain it too acidic (Pollution Probe 11).

Acid rain does not just affect the environment: it can also affect us
humans. Acid rain corrodes buildings, statues, and sculptures as well (CCME).
This might not seem like it affects us humans, but it does by ruining our art,
and all of the hard work that the artists have put into the statues and
sculptures. Also the owner of the building that was affected by the acidic rain
will have to pay for all of the damages. When the SO2 (Sulfur Dioxide) and
NOx (Nitrogen Oxide) combine with other chemicals in the air, it can be
potentially harmful to our cardiac and our respiratory system (Pollution
Probe). Additionally, when the sulfur dioxide reacts to water vapor, it creates
smog, which still can affect our respiratory systems.
Although there might seem like there is nothing that we can do to stop
acid rain, Canada and the United States have solutions that will help against
the effects of acid rain. Canada has a wide acid rain strategy that calls for
emission reductions in both Canada and in the United States (Environment
Canada). The clean air act in the United States reduced sulphur dioxide
emissions to 16 million tons a year (Nature.com). The First Sulphur Protocol
(1985); parties were committed to reducing SO2 emission levels by 30%
(Pollution Probe). One thing that Canada is doing is that they are removing
sulphur from fuel and feeder ore (The Canadian Encyclopedia).
Acid rain has caused damage and in some cases they are irreversible,
can potentially affect our health, but there are solutions that can reduce the
chances of it raining acidic chemicals. They corrode buildings, statues,

sculptures. They damage the soil by stripping away the nutrients. The rain
precipitation affects our respiratory systems and our cardiac systems. There
are solutions such as reducing SO2 emissions, removing sulphur from fuel
and feeder ore. We need to stop or, at the very least, reduce acid rain to a
minimum because it is affecting our aquatic ecosystems, our buildings and
even our health. The result of not doing anything or just not really making a
huge difference in stopping acidic rain is that a lot of aquatic ecosystems will
die of and less fish will live in certain ecosystems and there will be more
damages to buildings, statues and sculptures.