86-G (7)                                            Position Paper on Acid Rain

“Acid raid is rain that contains significant amounts of sulfuric or nitric acid.  Sulfuric or nitric acid is formed when sulfur dioxide (SO₂) or nitrogen oxide (NO) gasses emitted by industrial or transportation sources undergo a chemical transformation by the atmosphere.”  Areas most affected by acid rain are the eastern U.S. and eastern Canada.  The effects of acid rain are widespread damage to forests and soil, contamination of drinking water, and possible human health problems.²

WHEREAS we are all called by God to be good stewards over the land and sea and all that is in them, preserving and nourishing them for future generations, and

WHEREAS the damage caused by acid rain is direct result of careless stewardship and may well scar our earth beyond repair, and

WHEREAS this is a problem of truly international proportions, since 50% of acid rain that falls in eastern Canada is of U.S. origin, and only 10% of U.S. acid rain comes from Canada, and U.S. air quality standards allow for more pollution than do Canadian standards,³ and

WHEREAS the Lutheran Student Movement – Canada has prepared a resource and study packet on the issue relating to acid rain, as a result of concern and legislation discussed at their 1984 National Conference,

THEREFORE, be it the position of LSM-USA that:

1.  We support and applaud the efforts of LSM-Canada in enabling us to become more well-informed on this issue,

2.  We recognize the seriousness of this issue for ourselves and for the future of our planet.  We encourage local and regional groups of LSM-USA to make use of the LSM-Canada packet to study how acid rain affects our environment and to investigate possible ways of effecting change in the ways our government deals with acid rain.  This process of study will hopefully result in a more specific resolution to be brought before the 1987 National Assembly of LSM-USA.

Sponsored by Lisa Dahill, Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago.

References:

1.  Fact Sheet on Acid Rain, Published by the Canadian Embassy in the USA, 1984, page 2.

2.  Ibid,, pages 2-4.

3.  Ibid., page 5.

For the study packet, write to:

            Lutheran Student Movement-Canada

            % Division for Mission and Ministry

            Lutheran Council in Canada

            500-365 Hargrave

            Winnipeg, Maanitoba, Canada R3B2K3