Acid rain, an atmospheric issue, and radon, an indoor air pollutant are both issues that have a damaging effect on the environment and cause health problems for people in general. The population is becoming increasingly concerned about these issues and have begun to take steps to improve the quality of the atmosphere as well as combating indoor air pollutants.
According to the Environmental Protection Agency, “Acid rain is a serious environmental problem that affects large parts of the United States and Canada. Acid rain is particularly damaging to lakes, streams, and forests and the plants and animals that live in these ecosystems.” (EPA, 2012).
Acid rain is a mixture of wet and dry deposited material from the atmosphere containing “higher than normal amounts of nitric and sulfuric acids” (EPA, 2012). Acid rain is a result of both natural sources, such as those found in volcanoes and decaying vegetation, and man-made sources, primarily emissions of sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides. These man-made sources are the results of fossil fuel combustion from automobiles, power plants and other industrial sources.
Acid rain can produce severe damage to the environment and the human population. The chemicals found in acid rain are extremely powerful and have been known to cause steel to erode and to cause severe damage to water supplies, soil and plants. The Environmental protection Agency states that “Acid rain causes acidification of lakes and streams and contributes to the damage of trees at high elevations (for example, red spruce trees above 2,000 feet) and many sensitive forest soils. In addition, acid rain accelerates the decay of building materials and paints, including irreplaceable buildings, statues, and sculptures that are part of our nation's cultural heritage. Prior to falling to the earth, sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxide gases and their particulate matter derivatives—sulfates and nitrates—contribute to visibility degradation and harm public health”...