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Negative effects of acid rain
The greenhouse effect
We contribute to the greenhouse effect in many ways. People burn fossil fuels, such as coal, gas and oil and wood. This produces huge amounts of carbon dioxide which traps heat, much like a blanket, in the upper atmosphere. Additionally, large increases in animal numbers in order to feed the world's population is producing excess methane gas which is also trapping heat. Cutting down tropical forests also adds to the problem. Trees absorb carbon dioxide which people and animals produce. Trees also 'breathe out' oxygen which all living things need. These processes are vital for a balanced existence. However, people are cutting down vast areas of tropical forests, and so upset this balance.
On top of all this, the increase in temperature of the Earth's atmosphere is causing the climate in some areas to change. This is especially true in areas which normally receive little but vital rainfall. When this rain does not fall, it causes drought, crop failure and famine. Another problem is the melting of the ice caps which creates a rise in sea levels. This rise may cause some island nations in the South Pacific Ocean to disappear. There is also increased rainfall and flooding in some areas, such as in Bangladesh and Mozambique, leading to destruction and death. One solution is to reduce the burning of fossil fuels and use other sources such as solar, wind and wave energy. Planting more trees would also help increase the oxygen supply.
Negative effects of acid rain
Acid fog can directly damage human health. In times of such fog, people may breathe in tiny droplets of nitric or sulphuric acid. Such acids are believed to result in illnesses such as asthma. Acid rain releases minerals that damage plant roots. These two processes reduce crop yields and farm incomes.
Acid rain results in heavy leaching, which deprives tree roots of the nutrients they need. The trees then become 'malnourished' and are more likely to be killed by diseases or parasites.
The acidification of groundwater in Sweden has been linked to foul-tasting water, children's diarrhea and even to people's hair turning green after washing.
Many angling lakes have been rendered lifeless by acid rain, which destroys the food chain that fish need to survive. Thousands of lakes in Norway and Sweden have been thus affected.
Minerals and nutrients are leached or washed out of the topsoil, reducing the soil's fertility.
Chemicals in acid rain also weaken the ability of trees to tolerate cold. This results in the death of many conifers in Northern Europe. It is estimated that more than half of Germany's evergreen trees have now been damaged by acid rain.
The surfaces of old buildings flake away as they undergo severe chemical weathering by acid rain. It is estimated that famous 'tourist trap' buildings such as the Coliseum in Rome have suffered more acid rain damage in the past BO years than they did in the previous 2,000.