m, because elements such as mercury can be extremely lethal to animals as well as humans. Other metals are also released such as aluminum and zinc which have the potential to be just as dangerous. These elements are especially quite dangerous to our water systems because they are easily passed on to the fish that live in the lake. This is harmful to both the fish and the other organisms who prey on them. Acid rain has also become a serious political problem. Many countries are pointing their fingers at the Unites States. For example Canada has been pushing for the U.S to have stricter air regulations so that what comes out of the huge smokestacks are cleaner and healthier for the environment. Many of the big factories that pour out tons of sulfur dioxide are near the Great Lakes, and many Canadians are saying that the wind blows the pollutants straight up to Canada. However, the problem isnt just set in North America it is being recognized also in Europe. In 1979 a Convention on Transboundary Air Pollution was signed between European nations and the United States. This was signed to make sure countries had scientists researching acid rain its effects, and possible cures to the problem. Many European scientists feel that it is the United States who is causing most of the acid rain around the world. So to solve the problem many feel that its the United States job to regulate what their factories emit. However the methods to reduce the amounts of pollutants is very expensive. The Unites States does not want to pay more money to burn coal, they are more worried about the economic standpoint than the environmental aspect of the problem. The new ideas to cut down on sulfur dioxide emissions have been brought up many times by other nations as well as the Unites States itself. The plan is to either to use cleaner coal which would be cleaned at the mines or attach a sprayer to the smokestacks that would spray lime to neutralize the sulfur di...
