WARNING: climate change is wreaking havoc on hay fever

By Gabbi Di Marino, content manager and fellow allergy sufferer

Climate change is real and, unfortunately, it isn’t going anywhere (unless, of course, major corporations start to make some changes to the way they do business). It’s not just bad news for the polar bears - it’s bad news for all of us! Since the 19th century, global temperatures have been climbing higher and higher, by 2.2 degrees Fahrenheit to be exact, and while that may not sound like a lot, these seemingly slight increases actually cause a lot of change.

The cause and effects of climate change

What causes this temperature flux you ask? Well, it’s mostly due to the increased amount of carbon dioxide that we humans release into the atmosphere, as the majority of this change has happened over the course of the last forty years! 2016 and 2020 are currently tied for the hottest years in our Earth’s history - and that’s nothing to be proud of.

 But don’t go beating yourself up. The actions of everyday people aren’t really to blame here. A recent report showed that just 100 energy companies accounted for over 71% of greenhouse gas emissions, so switching to reusable straws and avoiding styrofoam isn’t going to halt this crisis alone (although, it’s always good to hold ourselves accountable in terms of minimizing our carbon footprint). Change needs to happen much higher up on the ladder, and until that change happens, climate change will unfortunately continue. 

So what does that mean for our planet? With climate change comes serious, earth-shattering consequences, causing things like fires, drought, extreme weather, and even an increase in diseases. As if all of that wasn’t enough, climate change has also been proven to make your hay fever worse! Yep, that’s right. Climate change is out to get your nose too. 

Climate change and seasonal allergies

Just this past February 2021, the New York Times reported on this research, where scientists discovered that climate change is causing hay fever seasons to last longer and wreak more havoc than before! So for those of us allergics, who already dread the change of seasons, our days of suffering have just gotten longer. 

The study reported that since 1990, pollen seasons in North America have started 20 days earlier on average than they normally would, and to add insult to injury, the amount of pollen itself has increased by 21%! 

For those of us living in Texas, The Midwest, and The Southwest, we have some more bad news to share. It just so happens that these locations are hit the hardest by climate change’s effect on hay fever.

 But don’t go plucking out the flowers in your garden just yet. It’s actually pollen that comes from trees that have been marked as the up and coming bad guys for this hay fever season, although weeds and grasses come in at a close second. 

And if you’re trying to shrug off an increase in seasonal allergies as no big deal, you might wanna think again. Past studies have shown that when more pollen is in the air, the greater your susceptibility is to a respiratory virus, and with COVID-19 still running rampant, this isn't a fact to be taken lightly.

What you can do

If you’re looking to take some action and do what you can to help our planet, minimizing your carbon footprint is always a good place to start (Here is a helpful article to get you started). And if you have extra time and resources, grassroots organizations like 350.org and Climate Alliance are great places to give whatever you can! Remember - we only have one home planet. It’s important that we do all that we can to preserve this beautiful green and blue floating orb.