Rain is very important not only for human life, but also for other living things. It falls onto the earth and gives lives for all living things in this planet. It absorbs into soil and helps plants to grow. Moreover, it can come to the surface of ground in a form of spring and become a place in which animals, even human rely on. Rain has become the source of life for all living things in the earth directly or indirectly. It has become one of the most important parts of nature. However, how is if the rain poisonous? It must affect the environment and must be dangerous for all living things in the earth. Thus, its importance does not only make rain essential, but also gives serious effects for all kinds of lives in the earth. This phenomenon is called acid rain.
Acid rain is rain which falls from the sky onto the earth which contains unnatural acid. The unnatural acid is formed by pollution gases that are sulphur dioxide (SO2) and nitrogen oxides (NOx) which are released into the atmosphere through emissions from factories and vehicles that burn fuel as their energy. In the air, those gases react with other chemicals, dissolve easily in water vapour, and fall in a form of rain that contains sulphuric acid and nitric acid. Though those gases do not fall down onto the earth in the form of rain, but they can be carried long distances by the wind, then, may come in a form of fog and snow. The rain, the fog and snow which has been contaminated by acid has pH less than normal water that is less than 5.6. Thus, acid rain has bad influences for the environment and all living things.
First of all, acid rain has bad effects on man-made objects. It has capability to dissolve sandstone, limestone, and marble. It causes many stone monuments and carvings are damaged easily if they are exposed to the acid rain. It can also corrode ceramic, textiles, paints, and metals. Thus, acid rain can also corrode modern buildings, cars, railroad tracks, airplanes, steel bridge, and pipes both above and below ground. Thus, the maintenance cost for the monuments, infrastructure, or other buildings will increase or be more expensive.
Moreover, acid rain is dangerous for environment which will affect plants and animals life. If the polluted rain falls on the land, it will take away soil nutrients and kills microorganism in the soil. The soil in which the plants rely on will damage the plant’s roots and leaves, stunt their growth, and finally make them died. If the plants die or poisoned by acid rain, animals will also die. Birds and other wildlife will lose their habitat because the forest is damaged. Besides, acid rain also drains into lakes, rivers, and ponds, then, affects aquatic life and other living things depending on them. Plankton, insects, crustaceans, and fish will die if the water is too acidic. If it happens, animals up the food chain will also die because they depend on the aquatic life. Acid rain has affected environment, plants and animals because they depend on one another. What about human?
Acid rain is not only dangerous for environment, plants, and animals, but also for human. Acid rain has polluted the environment, plants, and animals in which human rely on. It has contaminated the air human breathe, the water human drinks, and the food human eats. Of course, these things will affect human life. The pollutants—sulphur dioxides and nitrogen oxides—existing in the air can be inhaled deep into people’s lungs, then, cause respiratory problems (such as, irritation of nose, eye, and throat, headache, asthma, and dry cough), decrease lung function, and even premature death. In addition, acid rain affects human life through poisoned water and food. Water that has been contaminated by pollutants will be not safe to be drunk. The plants and animals as sources of human food which has been poisoned by acid rain will be also poisonous for human and cause brain damage, kidney problems, and Alzheimer’s disease. Even worse, the source of human food will be exhausted because plants and animals will have died. In short, acid rain has deep impact on human life.
Acid rain influences all aspects of life in the earth. It gives bad effects for the environment, animals, and humankind. Those effects are totally the result of human’s mistake. Human is blinded by technologies and industries, thus he is careless to keep the nature that has provided him by many things he needs for living. Nature has given him the food to eat, water to drink, and also the air to breathe. All those things which has given chances for human to continue his life, now, can be an unpredictable “killer” for human himself. Therefore, human must look for the solution and do something immediately to solve the problem before it has been late.
Human as one to be blamed for this condition must do something to restore the damaged environment because the effects of acid rain was so terrifying for the earth and all living things in the earth. Some actions must be done immediately because there are so many changes and it takes many years for ecosystems to recover from acid deposition, even after emissions are reduced and the rain becomes normal again. Thus, individual action is really expected. It seems that there is not much that individual can do to stop acid deposition. However, it must be remembered that acid deposition is caused by the cumulative actions of millions of individual people. Therefore, each individual can also reduce their contribution to the problem. As individuals, some actions can be done, like: turn off energy appliances when not using them, use energy efficient appliances, avoid to use public transportation, it is better to walk or use bicycle, and buy vehicles with low NOx emissions, and maintain all vehicles well.
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