You are invited to join our global network of acid rain survey!
During the five years from December, 1990 to December, 1995, Eco/InInstitute r
eceived more than 20,000 acid rain survey data from citizens all over Japan.
This figure indicates that there are great number of people who "wantto survey
the world where they are living". The collected data showed the nation-wide a
cidification of rain water is in progress. Interesting analytical results are
being obtained one after another about what
conditionssuch as area, season or weather pattern are likely to cause rain aci
dification or about what ecological effects such acidification might
have.
Environmental survey by citizens expands from acid rain to other themes.
Namely, the themes are water they drink, foods they eat, water quality of
rivers and lakes, soil conditions, living conditions of surrounding living thi
ngs, and so on. Their survey is not limited to natural environment.
Citizens are beginning to study, for example, about how many popula-tion thei
r own community has, what the major industries are, how wide the area of farmi
ng lands and forests occupies, and how much the amount of waste
they are disposing is.
Through such survey or study, citizens in Japan are learning about
what to do for autonomous management of the world where they are living.
By filling a map with environmental survey data which are made based on
common indices like an acidity index, they can share a feeling of unitythat th
ey are all living on this Earth and they may recognize what
significance the place they are living may have, as a part of the Earth.
Such recognition would provide a basis for producing various chances of
international collaboration for problem solution.
This concept of "Global Sensing" was accepted by citizens of Hungary,
Russia, Jordan, Pakistan, and Uganda and survey of acid rain or water
quality was started in these countries. The respective themes these
countries are pursuing to solve at first hand are:
Hungary - Soil acidification of the Danube plain.
Russia - Acid fallouts on and drain inflow into the Lake Baikal.
Jordan - Water pollution of catchment areas of the River Jordan.
Pakistan - Water salification of the Indus plain
Japan - Nation-wide encroachment of forest and financial failure in
disposal of waste.
We, the citizens of the six countries, would like to encourage
herebypeople in every and each region in the world to join the "Global
Sensing Project". For this year (1996) and as a project via internet, we will
implement "drawing of acid rain map of the world". Please survey acid rain in
your community and send the data to Eco/Institute.
And, if you are an expert or professional in the areas concerned, we will appr
eciate it if you provide us with wisdom or information, for
sustainable development of our six countries.
Finally, as a special message for protection of catchment areas of the
River Jordan, we would like to encourage ecology scientists of the
neighbouring four countries of Israel, Jordan, Syria, and Lebanon to
exchange relevant information. If you are willing to participate, please
send a mail to Eco/Institute.
Now, together with those people living in this same era and on this
same Earth, we, too, would like to grow as a driving force for managing ofthe
global society.
Japan Eco/Institute Hiroyasu Masuyama
Russia Baikal Environmental Wave Marina Plus
Pakistan Sindh Rural Workers Cooperative Organization Chndio Munir Armad
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Making of 1996 acid rain map
Dear Friends
What is present concern is that of "environmental acidification" in a global
scale. We want people over the world to survey by themselves acidrain, a symbo
l of such environmental acidification, and to share the data in a form of "glo
bal acid rain map". The objective of this program is to
utilize such a global acid rain map for considering of the present
condition of the Earth.
At present, emission of air pollutants is increasing on a global
basis. Also, there is a concern that there will be increase in such
irradiation of ultraviolet rays or vapor density in the atmoshpere as may
accelelate chemical reaction to produce acid substance in the air.
A possible danger is suggested that destruction of ozon layers, or such
increase in vaporing amount from surface of oceans as may occur by
temperature hike, might create the condition under which chemical reactionprod
ucing acid substance would be accelelated. While it is believed that
acid rain is falling mainly in comparatively high lattitude areas now,
there is an observatory forecast that acid rain areas will expand to the
areas near the equator.
Thus, as incremental acid substances in the atmosphere fall down to
the ground, there may occur further acidification of lands and outer layerwate
r (e.g., rivers and lakes) in a global scale. If acidification of landhappens
globally, it is likely to cause damage to forestry and agricultureand to bring
about even an irreparable situation such as natural hazards,
shortage of food or deterioration of water quality.
Yet the actual condition of global acid rain has not been identified.
As such, this program is designed to encourage all the people living on
this Earth to catch rain water at home or at school, check the acidity,
and bring the data all together. All of such data from you will be helpful
for "development of community harmonizing with environment" in Hungary,
Jordan, Russia (the surroundings of the Lake Baikal) or elsewhere.
We earnestly ask you to join this acid rain survey at your own place.
I prepare 500 acidrain monitoring kits for this programm, this year. If
you send me following application form, I will send you a monitoring kit
to you.
Sincerely yours
Masuyama Hiroyasu
EcoInstitute
1-12-22,Mita,Meguro-ku, Tokyo, Japan,153
Tel 81-3-3793-1641 Fax 81-3-3711-8550
E-mail ecoken@kiwi.ifnet.or.jp
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FORM OF APPLICATION
Dear Masuyama Hiroyasu
EcoInstitute, 1-12-22, Mita,Meguro-ku,Tokyo, Japan,153
As I (We) want to participate in the 1996 Global Acid Rain Survey Network,
please send me (us) survey kit(s).
Name of applicant:
Country:
Address:
Telephone number:
Facsimile number:
E-mail address:
Your identity: (Please fill in what you think your identity (single or
prural) such as nationality, people, religion, sex, occupation)
Motive of participation:
FORM OF ACID RAIN SURVEY REPORT
Name:
Addresss:
Telephone number:
Facsimile number:
E-mail address:
Duration of raining (local time): Time : :
Day / Month / Year
Duration of setting container or tray to catch water (local time):
Time : :
Day / Month / Year
Time difference between your local time and the Greenwitch standard time:
Place of survey:
Latitude and longitude of place of survey: North/South latitude degrees
East/West longitude degreespH d
ensity of rain water:
Volume of rain water caught in container or tray:
Bore (Diameter of mouth) of container or tray:
* Time difference with Greenwitch standard time as well as the latitude
/longitude are necessary to check the time and place on the globe where
you conducted survey. So please do not forget to fill in.
If not inconvenient, please answer to the following questionaires.
How did you feel after you finished acid rain survey?
Would you like to continue acid rain survey further?
Do you see any program of Eco/Institute or sustainable development in any
country to which you may provide a support?
What do you expect to Eco/Institute, if any?
Do you permit that your answers or responses be introduced into
newsletters of Eco/Institute or into publication on the internet?
O.K. with real name
O.K. with anonymity
Sorry, even with anonymity