What does acid rain have to do with the Great Lakes?

Answer 1

When talking about acid rain, the old adage applies--what goes up must come down. This section explores acid rain, an example of a difficult environmental issue facing the United States and Canada. By focusing on this complex environmental concern, the lesson reveals why it is so important for governments to work together and be aware of how their actions affect the quality of life of others. Acid rain is rain, snow, hail, fog, dust, or soot containing high levels of acid. Pollutants that are transferred from the air into the Lakes are responsible for harming the quality of the water in the Lakes, as well as the health of the plants and animals that call the Great Lakes home. But acid rain isn't just a regional problem; it is a global problem and there is little worldwide agreement on how to tackle it. Neither the United States nor Canada can combat acid rain alone. It is carried across national frontiers and often affects distant places more strongly than where it is produced. Solving the acid rain problem requires and understanding of the consequences of our actions in the United States and Canada, and the necessity of cooperating in the search for a solution. With the issue of acid rain, attention is drawn to the Great Lakes Basin. This is because many "smokestack" industries are located in a and near the Basin, and many people believe that the pollution from these industries contributes to the acid rain problem in Ontario, eastern Canada and northeastern United States. Many Canadians get upset with the United States because so much of the pollution coming from industry in the Untied States blows with the wind, sometimes ending up in Canada.