Rain itself is already a slightly acidic compound. However, acid rain is rainfall that has become overly acidic due to high levels of nitrite and sulfuric compounds in the atmosphere. These high levels are caused by air pollution mainly from factories burning fossil fuels. It causes environmental harm by destroying forests and lakes. The presence of acidic solution in these bodies of water affects the wild life that consume or inhabit it. Fortunately the U.S is the least affected by this problem however places like China, Taiwan, most of Eastern Europe, and Southeastern Canada are majorly affected. The decrease in pH in lakes due to acid has also caused a decrease in biodiversity.
Biodiversity in food, plants, people, and animals is what keeps us striving and acid rain effects the environmental health of the planet. Acid rain not only devastates the natural world but it also affects human life. These chemicals can lead to lung disease, environmental asthma and many other life threatening diseases.
It is interesting how many different aspects of our environment can be affected by burning fossil fuels. We must protect organisms that live in the water for their own benefit, as well as our own. What is the biggest way we can fix the problem of acid rain?
We can reduce the threat acid rain poses by producing energy without the burning of fossil fuels. Renewable energy technologies can also reduce the chance of acid rain.
Interesting to see how factory fossil fuels affect the air quality, causing acid rain, which causes diseases for humans in the form of lung diseases. Why are their no regulations on the amount of fossil fuels put in the atmosphere?