Acid rain is an invisible byproduct of air pollution and can
be extremely destructive. The effects of acid rain can be rusting of iron,
erosion of marble or limestone, destroying car paint, and deterioration of
plant life, etc. It is usually caused by coal-burning power plants, industrial
processes, and automobiles, which emit sulfur dioxides, nitrogen oxides, and
carbon dioxides into the atmosphere. Acid rain can come down in any form of
precipitation. Since it is invisible, people can only see the effects of acid
rain happening, rather than the acid itself contained within the precipitation.
The World Health Organization sets limits of air pollution and more than about
one hundred million people live in areas of Latin America, such as Paraguay and
Rio de Janeiro, that exceed the WHO’s limitations. For example, in Mexico City
and Sao Paulo, air pollution has been linked to respiratory problems and deaths
of adults and children. In areas of bad pollution, there is a greater chance of
acidic rain damage. For example, every year over six billion dollars of damage
is caused by acid rain in the United States alone. Since the United States is a
country with pollution regulating laws and it has such a high amount of annual
damage being done, how much greater damage is being done in countries that aren’t
as developed and do not have regulation laws? As less developed countries (LDC’s)
such as those in Latin America begin to industrialize, there will be a rise in
acid rain problem. This is inevitable unless highly developed countries (HDC’s)
such as the United States help improve the LDC’s industrial technology to
minimize not only pollution but also the overall environmental impact they are
having. If HDC’s do not choose to help LDC’s develop in a more sustainable
manner, then the people of LDC’s will have to “deal” with the environmental
destruction being caused by acid rain on their own. This is very much a
sociological problem, affecting the people of Latin America and the way they
live. And although I’ve used examples of Latin American cities, acid rain
occurs everywhere, especially in areas of much advanced human activity.
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