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Your Guide to ACID RAIN
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Project Update � Presentation-October 20th 1998, Our presentation in our opinion was pretty successful. Some Visuals that we had included was a diagram showing the cycle of how acid rain circulates within the atmosphere, we also had two diagrams that described the effects on acid rain. We also gave a detailed but brief description of what acid rain consists of.

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What can we do?
The best approach to acid rain is to reduce the amount of NOx and SO2 being released into the atmosphere. Putting a converter to a car can reduce the emissions of NOx by up to 90 percent, but they are very expensive, and cause more carbon dioxide to be released, which contributes to the greenhouse effect.

SO2 emissions from power stations can be reduced before, during, or after combustion.

      • If a fuel with a low sulphur content (such as North Sea gas or oil) is burned, not much sulphur dioxide will be formed. However, low sulphur fuels are more expensive because they are in greater demand, and although high-suphur fuels can be treated to reduce their sulphur content, this is very expensive.
      • The SO2 created during combustion can be absorbed if an appropriate chemical (such as limestone) is present as the fuel burns.
      • Once the fuel has been burned, the SO2 can be removed from the exhaust gases. Most systems spray a mixture of limestone and water onto the gases. This mixture reacts with the SO2 to form gypsum, a useful building material.
Another option is not to burn fossil fuels, but to use alternative energy sources.

All these methods for reducing acid gases are expensive, and have drawbacks, so laws have been passed to force businesses to use them. The best way to reduce them is not to use as much energy in the first place. You can help in lots of ways:

        • Turn off lights when you leave a room
        • If you have a car, don't use it for short journeys
        • Get your parents to insulate their house properly
        • Basically, anything at all that uses less energy

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