| The United States and 24 other nations have agreed to keep the nitrogen oxide emission levels at 1987 rates as a part of the Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution Agreement. The Clear Air Act was intended to cut in half sulfur dioxide emissions from power plants by the year 2000. |
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Alternative forms of transportation can be used by more people at once, and therefore create far less air pollution than cars. Photo credit Corel Photo Clipart CD.
In cars, catalytic converters are used to lessen the emissions of harmful exhaust. Pollutants from factories and such are caught in filters or changed into less dangerous liquid or solid forms. |
Other sources of pollution kill the animals in the forest, and when even one important predator or prey species disappears, the entire ecosystem can disintegrate. Almost 40% of the endangered freshwater fishes in North America are at risk because of water pollution. Much of that water pollution has come from pulp mills, where wood chips are manufactured into pulp and paper products. The toxic organochlorine compounds ruin fish habitat. Often, pollutants collect in increasing quantities over time, and have long-lasting effects that at first go unnoticed. By the time chemicals are determined to be the cause of plant and animal deaths, it is often too late to prevent more damage. Once an area is contaminated with pollutants, it is very difficult to clean it up. |
pollution -- page 4 of 5
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sub-topic
[dying trees]
related topics
[forest life] [fish] [water] [riparian zones] [wood & forest products] [forests through time]
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