Period 5, Group A, Post 2

Dear Editor of The Forest Acorn,

Subject: Raising Mass Awareness for the Damaging Effects of Acid Rain

Through your esteemed newspaper, I am honored to speak on behalf of the inhabitants of The Forest about the increasing threat of acid rain.

Following frequent rainstorms, inhabitants of The Forest have noticed a decrease in the food supply. Alarmed by my dwindling supply of berries, I quickly assembled a group of intellectuals to determine the cause. Those that joined me in this group of scientific minds include Orville the owl, Socrates the squirrel, and Tina the trout.

We have attributed this dramatic change in our ecosystem to acid rain. Acid rain is becoming a major issue in our forest and something needs to be done about it.

The major cause of acid rain is our human "superiors." They have polluted the air with car and power plant emissions that cause large amounts of Sulfur dioxide, Sulfur trioxide, and Carbon dioxide to be present in our atmosphere. Another major contributor of pollution is farms. Their use of fertilizer and their disposal of our friends' (the pigs) fecal matter causes an excess of Nitrogen dioxide in our atmosphere. These deadly gases combine with water to form acid rain.

Once acid rain falls, it chemically reacts with calcium and magnesium in the earth. The calcium and magnesium neutralize the acid rain but, as a result, we lose that natural buffer against acid. If the amount of calcium and magnesium becomes too depleted, the acid rain will affect plant life. This is why many inhabitants of The Forest have noticed a severe decrease in foliage to feed on. Acid rain also runs off into lakes, rivers, and streams where if poses a direct threat to plant and animal life within those bodies of water. Indirectly, anyone who consumes plants or fish (sorry Tina) that live in contaminated areas is at risk of becoming ill.

Whatever happens to us will also affect our human "overlords." Any human who ravages the flesh of one of our brethren runs the risk of becoming ill and possibly dying. In addition, if acid rain kills off a large population of us forest folk, the humans will tumble into an even greater food supply predicament. This, added to the devastating effects acid rain has on crops, will dissolve the world in an acidic solution. Governments will crumble into anarchy. Economies will crash and be replaced by the sole currency of food. Mafias will emerge. What remains of the animal kingdom will be hunted to extinction.

To prevent this dark future, I suggest a series of campaigns aimed at raising both human and animal awareness. The outspoken local activist, Peggy the pigeon, has suggested a massive (bowel) movement: "Defecation Day." On D-Day the pigeons of the world will unite against a common enemy: the automobile. Why defecate on statues that will be dissolved by acid rain anyway? Preserve your ammo. Peggy has taken the first leadership role in this campaign against acid rain, and I implore you, the animal kingdom, to make similar efforts.
We must act NOW to prevent this bleak future!

Sincerely,

Bernard the bear