Climate change sickness
Climate change (AKA global warming) is making Americans sick, according to a recently released federal report. Climate change is causing longer allergy seasons as well as diseases spread by ticks and mosquitoes, heat wave deaths, and more asthma, especially in children.
If you are an allergy sufferer, you probably already were aware of this news about longer and more severe allergy seasons. I certainly have noticed my health being more impacted by earlier and longer allergy seasons that also tend to produce more extreme pollen levels.
Is it possible that the number of children going to the hospital due to asthma could get worse? Yes, asthma, already the No. 1 cause of children going to the hospital, has worsened due to increased allergens, heat and air pollution.
The worst part of this picture is Americans love climate change. They have been enjoying mild winters for the most part without worrying about heat waves, longer allergy seasons, pestilence and air pollution.
Yes, the weather has gotten better but at what price? Thousands to tens of thousands of heat-related deaths are occurring in the United States each summer. What about the frightening experience of not being about to breathe if you are an allergy or asthma sufferer?
As an allergy sufferer, I am perplexed about how to get the message across that climate change is making Americans sick. The government report clearly establishes that climate change is a major threat to the public health in the United States. The report was based on more than 1,800 published scientific studies and new federal research, and was reviewed by the National Academy of Sciences.
If you know doubting Thomases about climate change or perhaps you are one, then tell them to check out the report. I, for one, am a believer. I used to be able to manage my allergies. Now, I am turning again to prescription or over-the-counter medications that I tried before that never worked but that’s how desperate I am. Nothing else has changed about my health other than longer allergy seasons.
These days I even wear a face mask when doing outdoor activities. I used to think that was silly but not anymore. Perhaps, if enough of us start wearing face masks, it might help wake up others to the problems of climate change.
If you are an allergy sufferer, you probably already were aware of this news about longer and more severe allergy seasons. I certainly have noticed my health being more impacted by earlier and longer allergy seasons that also tend to produce more extreme pollen levels.
Is it possible that the number of children going to the hospital due to asthma could get worse? Yes, asthma, already the No. 1 cause of children going to the hospital, has worsened due to increased allergens, heat and air pollution.
The worst part of this picture is Americans love climate change. They have been enjoying mild winters for the most part without worrying about heat waves, longer allergy seasons, pestilence and air pollution.
Yes, the weather has gotten better but at what price? Thousands to tens of thousands of heat-related deaths are occurring in the United States each summer. What about the frightening experience of not being about to breathe if you are an allergy or asthma sufferer?
As an allergy sufferer, I am perplexed about how to get the message across that climate change is making Americans sick. The government report clearly establishes that climate change is a major threat to the public health in the United States. The report was based on more than 1,800 published scientific studies and new federal research, and was reviewed by the National Academy of Sciences.
If you know doubting Thomases about climate change or perhaps you are one, then tell them to check out the report. I, for one, am a believer. I used to be able to manage my allergies. Now, I am turning again to prescription or over-the-counter medications that I tried before that never worked but that’s how desperate I am. Nothing else has changed about my health other than longer allergy seasons.
These days I even wear a face mask when doing outdoor activities. I used to think that was silly but not anymore. Perhaps, if enough of us start wearing face masks, it might help wake up others to the problems of climate change.
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