SUBSCRIBE TO OUR FREE NEWSLETTER
Daily news & progressive opinion—funded by the people, not the corporations—delivered straight to your inbox.
5
#000000
#FFFFFF
5
#000000
#FFFFFF
(Photo: foshydog via Flickr)
Climate Change Promises "Miserable" Future for Allergy Sufferers
Apr 01, 2013
Scientists are predicting a "miserable" spring for allergy sufferers and place the blame squarely on human-induced global warming and climate change.
"The changing climate has brought early spring, late-ending fall, and large amounts of rain and snow," writes Marlene Cimons, from Climate Nexus. "All of that, combined with historically high levels of carbon dioxide in the air, nourishes the trees and plants that make pollen, and encourages more fungal growth, such as mold, and the release of spores."
Researchers predict that pollen counts will increase by 30 percent by 2020 and can potentially double by 2040 as a result of climate change. Cimon's cites recent extreme weather events such as Superstorm Sandy and the record-setting blizzard as contributors behind the excess moisture, particularly in the Northeast US.
According to Leonard Bielory, an allergy and immunology specialist with the Rutgers Center for Environmental Prediction, the first samples of airborne tree pollen are already showing "comparatively severe symptoms" for allergy sufferers.
"I expect more tree pollen than ever to be released this spring, and the reaction to the early pollen to be unusually strong," he said, "[This] promises a robust allergy season."
_____________________
An Urgent Message From Our Co-Founder
Dear Common Dreams reader, The U.S. is on a fast track to authoritarianism like nothing I've ever seen. Meanwhile, corporate news outlets are utterly capitulating to Trump, twisting their coverage to avoid drawing his ire while lining up to stuff cash in his pockets. That's why I believe that Common Dreams is doing the best and most consequential reporting that we've ever done. Our small but mighty team is a progressive reporting powerhouse, covering the news every day that the corporate media never will. Our mission has always been simple: To inform. To inspire. And to ignite change for the common good. Now here's the key piece that I want all our readers to understand: None of this would be possible without your financial support. That's not just some fundraising cliche. It's the absolute and literal truth. We don't accept corporate advertising and never will. We don't have a paywall because we don't think people should be blocked from critical news based on their ability to pay. Everything we do is funded by the donations of readers like you. Will you donate now to help power the nonprofit, independent reporting of Common Dreams? Thank you for being a vital member of our community. Together, we can keep independent journalism alive when it’s needed most. - Craig Brown, Co-founder |
Our work is licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0). Feel free to republish and share widely.
Lauren McCauley
Lauren McCauley is a former senior editor for Common Dreams covering national and international politics and progressive news. She is now the Editor of Maine Morning Star. Lauren also helped produce a number of documentary films, including the award-winning Soundtrack for a Revolution and The Hollywood Complex, as well as one currently in production about civil rights icon James Meredith. Her writing has been featured on Newsweek, BillMoyers.com, TruthDig, Truthout, In These Times, and Extra! the newsletter of Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting. She currently lives in Kennebunk, Maine with her husband, two children, a dog, and several chickens.
Scientists are predicting a "miserable" spring for allergy sufferers and place the blame squarely on human-induced global warming and climate change.
"The changing climate has brought early spring, late-ending fall, and large amounts of rain and snow," writes Marlene Cimons, from Climate Nexus. "All of that, combined with historically high levels of carbon dioxide in the air, nourishes the trees and plants that make pollen, and encourages more fungal growth, such as mold, and the release of spores."
Researchers predict that pollen counts will increase by 30 percent by 2020 and can potentially double by 2040 as a result of climate change. Cimon's cites recent extreme weather events such as Superstorm Sandy and the record-setting blizzard as contributors behind the excess moisture, particularly in the Northeast US.
According to Leonard Bielory, an allergy and immunology specialist with the Rutgers Center for Environmental Prediction, the first samples of airborne tree pollen are already showing "comparatively severe symptoms" for allergy sufferers.
"I expect more tree pollen than ever to be released this spring, and the reaction to the early pollen to be unusually strong," he said, "[This] promises a robust allergy season."
_____________________
Lauren McCauley
Lauren McCauley is a former senior editor for Common Dreams covering national and international politics and progressive news. She is now the Editor of Maine Morning Star. Lauren also helped produce a number of documentary films, including the award-winning Soundtrack for a Revolution and The Hollywood Complex, as well as one currently in production about civil rights icon James Meredith. Her writing has been featured on Newsweek, BillMoyers.com, TruthDig, Truthout, In These Times, and Extra! the newsletter of Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting. She currently lives in Kennebunk, Maine with her husband, two children, a dog, and several chickens.
Scientists are predicting a "miserable" spring for allergy sufferers and place the blame squarely on human-induced global warming and climate change.
"The changing climate has brought early spring, late-ending fall, and large amounts of rain and snow," writes Marlene Cimons, from Climate Nexus. "All of that, combined with historically high levels of carbon dioxide in the air, nourishes the trees and plants that make pollen, and encourages more fungal growth, such as mold, and the release of spores."
Researchers predict that pollen counts will increase by 30 percent by 2020 and can potentially double by 2040 as a result of climate change. Cimon's cites recent extreme weather events such as Superstorm Sandy and the record-setting blizzard as contributors behind the excess moisture, particularly in the Northeast US.
According to Leonard Bielory, an allergy and immunology specialist with the Rutgers Center for Environmental Prediction, the first samples of airborne tree pollen are already showing "comparatively severe symptoms" for allergy sufferers.
"I expect more tree pollen than ever to be released this spring, and the reaction to the early pollen to be unusually strong," he said, "[This] promises a robust allergy season."
_____________________
We've had enough. The 1% own and operate the corporate media. They are doing everything they can to defend the status quo, squash dissent and protect the wealthy and the powerful. The Common Dreams media model is different. We cover the news that matters to the 99%. Our mission? To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good. How? Nonprofit. Independent. Reader-supported. Free to read. Free to republish. Free to share. With no advertising. No paywalls. No selling of your data. Thousands of small donations fund our newsroom and allow us to continue publishing. Can you chip in? We can't do it without you. Thank you.