Acid Rain?

Question

What are some ways to prevent or reverse the occurrence of acid rain?

Answer 1

USEPA has a good page on the subject.

There are several ways to reduce acid rain—more properly called acid deposition—ranging from societal changes to individual action. It is critical that acid deposition be reduced, not only in the United States and Canada, but also throughout the world to preserve the integrity of natural habitats, as well as to reduce damage to man-made structures.

EPA has taken steps to limit the amount of NOx and SO2 emitted into the atmosphere because they are the main contributors to acid deposition (for more information, see EPA’s Acid Rain Program2).

Additionally, individuals and society as a whole can participate in various efforts to help reduce acid deposition:

Understand acid deposition’s causes and effects
Clean up smokestacks and exhaust pipes
Use alternative energy sources
Restore a damaged environment
Look to the future
Take action as individuals

Answer 2

1. Plug all active volcanoes (good luck on this one)
2. Stop using any kind of internal combustion engine, especially diesels (CO and CO2 combine with H20 to form H2CO3, Sulfur in the fuel or extracted from fuel at refineries produces H2SO4, diesels produce both of these plus nitrogen oxides, which form HNO3), so, no buses or trucks
3. Stop using any form of energy, predominantly electrical energy, produced from coal, as it is dirtier than petroleum fuels.
4. Forbid the burning of wood or other organics, since their smoke is dirtier than coal smoke.

Industries have made remarkable progress in reducing pollution, partly under the impetus of clean air laws, and partly from the recognition some 30 years ago that polluting the environment is not profitable.

Answer 3

Stop industry belching filth into the atmosphere.

Answer 4

Oh, sorry man, my bad. I'll stop doing so much!