Acid rain is defined according to the Dictionary as any form of precipitation whether it is snow, rain or sleet that has a high concentration of acid forming contaminates that come from coal smoke and chemical manufacturing that release sulfuric and nitric oxides. These such contaminates are released into the earth’s atmosphere and combine with water vapor. Acid rain is very harmful to the earth’s environment. In 1963 acid rain was discovered in the White Mountains of New Hampshire at the Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest. At this experimental site they found that the PH level was 3.7 from the rain water collected, that means that it was 80 times more of an acidic level than what would be found in normal water. Some of causes of acid rain are both man made and some that are natural in nature. The causes of acid rain that are manmade are caused by the burning of fossil fuels such as coal. These fossil fuels are burned to generate electricity that powers our homes. When these fossil fuels are the winds pick up the sulfuric and nitric oxide contaminates over large areas of land and fall back to the surface as acid rain. The way that acid rain is found naturally is through the eruption of volcanoes, fires and vegetation that is rotting through decomposition which produce sulfur dioxide and lighting that produces nitrogen dioxide. The effect that acid rain has on the forest life can be absolutely devastating by making trees and other plant life more likely to become diseased. The effect that it can have on the aquatic life in the ponds, lake and streams can be harmful as well. Fish in these areas need a particular PH level in which to survive and when it is interrupted by acid rain it can make life difficult for fish to survive. Acid rain can also affect the micro organisms that thrive in the earth’s soil thus leading to nutrient deficiencies for growing crops. The way that we can reduce acid rain would be through a number ways. First be the use of alternative energy sources such as solar, hydroelectric and wind power. Each of these alternative energy sources is a form clean energy that doesn’t rely on any form of fossil fuel to power them. As individuals we each can take action by doing the following simple things.

• Turn off lights, computers, and other appliances when they aren’t in use
• Keep your thermostat at 68°F in the winter and 72°F in the summer.
• Carpool, whenever possible

References: http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/acid+rain http://www.eoearth.org/view/article/149814/
http://www.epa.gov/acidrain/reducing/index.html