Acid Rain

            Acid rain is a serious problem that our world faces today, and can cause huge problems. Many people believe that it's not that big of an issue to worry about right now, but as each day passes the threat increases. In the next few paragraphs, I will be talking about the impact that it has had on our environment and how the atmosphere is being destroyed by it.
             Acid rain is showing up in parts of Eastern Canada and the North Eastern United States. The main source of acid rain in Canada comes from power generation. The exhaust that the power plants emit are thrown into the atmosphere and gets into the clouds and condinsation, and then falls back to earth when it rains. Cars and trucks are another great cause of acid rain. Cars produce nitric acid which can be turned into sulphuric acid and sent thousands of miles from the source by air currents. Once the acids fall back to earth, it will have a large impact on growth and certain wildlife.
             Some places such as Ontario have limestone or other substances that neutralize some of the acids. Limestone near bodies of water protect them from acid but there are still large places in Ontario that are unaffected by Limestone. Even small amounts of acid effect the soil and the lakes. Lakes in the Muskoka, Haliburton, Algonquin, Parry Sound, and Manitoulin districts could lose their fisheries if the amount of acid rain isn"t reduced.
             The cost of acid rain is very dramatic. "Nitrogen oxides can react with hydrocarbons to produce ozone, which is a major air pollutant in the United States that causes yearly losses of $2 billion to 4.5 billion dollars worth of wheat, corn, soybeans, and peanuts". Canada has lost fish in about 4000 lakes. Canada is about to lose fish in 48,500 mare lakes within twenty years. Most of Nova Scotia's Eastern shores are flowing into the Atlantic Ocean with poisonous acid.
             Acid rain is killing more than bodies of water. When acid rain falls in a forest, it weakens the trees so that they can get diseases easier and decay easier.