Month 4, Day 18: More “Allergy” Stuff

U.S. News and World Report had a little squib about the same report referenced two days ago — all about how there were going to be a lot more allergens in the air, so allergy sufferers were going to be even more miserable than they usually are.

I shortened and revised my earlier letter, and used their dedicated submissions form to send it in.

It’s not just the eyes and noses of allergy sufferers that will be hit by global warming. Allergies and asthma are already huge loss factors almost everywhere in our economy: 12 billion dollars and 14 million school and work days to hay fever alone; $15 billion in medical costs and $5 billion in lost earnings a year to asthma. If, as scientists predict, climate change doubles or triples the level of ragweed allergens in our air, the economic effects are going to be disastrous.

On the other hand, antihistamine manufacturers will be excellent investment opportunities; we’ll be able to sneeze all the way to the bank.

All joking aside, this is just one tiny aspect of the most serious threat humanity has ever faced. We must take strong action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, or it’s going to hurt a lot more than our noses.

Warren Senders