Acid rain is a by-product of our addiction to fossil fuels, particularly, coal and oil. Smokestack emissions combine with atmospheric moisture to create sulfuric and nitric acids. These ultimately fall to the earth as acid precipitation.
Nova Scotia is particularly affected because of our geography. We are directly in the path of prevailing winds and weather systems from the smog belt of North America. In addition, parts of our province have little or no naturally occurring limestone to buffer the effects of this toxic rain and snowfall.
I'm not implying that Nova Scotia is an innocent victim - there are four coal-fired electric power generation plants operating in this province - in Sydney, Point Aconi, Point Tupper and Trenton.
In addition to acid rain-causing emissions, these four coal-fired plants emit an estimated 150 kilograms of mercury annually, according to the Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment, October, 2006.
"Mercury is a toxic, persistent, bioaccumulative substance. It converts in water to the highly toxic form, methylmercury, which accumulates in fish and other species, damaging the central nervous system and causing reproductive failure among loons and river otters.
Human exposure to mercury – primarily by eating contaminated fish – may cause neurological and developmental damage. Low exposure to mercury may cause problems, such as learning disabilities in children. Women of childbearing age, pregnant women, children, and populations who depend on fish as a traditional food source are most at risk."
So what is the price of salmon fishing in Nova Scotia? From where I stand the answer is: PRICELESS! It looks like the best hope for a return to the kind of productivity once enjoyed by Atlantic Salmon in Nova Scotia rivers is to 'kick' our addiction to fossil fuels!
As inconceivable as that sounds, ultimately, we will not have a choice in the matter. James Howard Kunstler believes we are on the brink of a collapse that he refers to as the "Long Emergency", a collapse brought about by dwindling oil resources. I heard him speak on CBC radio's show, Sunday Edition, February 17, 2008.
Kunstler is an articulate doom sayer - there's no denying it, but I have faith in our ability to survive as a species. At the same time, I don't believe in leaving the hen house door open. We need to examine the problems of fossil fuels, acid rain, and mercury emissions somewhat more seriously, perhaps... as if our lives depended on it.
Good Luck and Good Fishin'!
-Random Phrump
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