Reply #92: "Affect" need not be passive voice

[markses]

The snow affected our travel time.

(Passive) Our travel time was affected by the snow.

The difference between "to affect" and "to effect" is not a passive/active difference (theoretically, any verb has both passive and active voices). Rather, the difference is one of meaning.

Effect means to accomplish, or bring about, and is a transitive verb. That which it brings about follows as the direct object.

Affect, also a transitive verb, means to produce an effect or change IN. The direct oject is not that which comes about, but that which is changed by the subject (in the active voice): The cold weather affected the crops (a perfectly respectable active voice construction of the verb "to affect"). In fact, "to effect" as in to bring about, is the more rare of the two, and is almost archaic in usage.

In any case, the difference between the two verbs has absolutely nothing to do with whether they are in active or passive voice.

You also missed my favorite meaning:

To affect, as in to present an articificial appearance:

Madonna affects a British accent (also active voice).