Worsening Allergies Aren’t Your Imagination − It’s Climate Change

From stronger winds to pollen seasons expanding by almost a month, more people are suffering from hay fever.

By , Assistant Professor of Forestry, Mississippi State University

Windy days can mean more pollen and more sneezing. mladenbalinovac/E+ via Getty Images

Evolution has fostered many reproductive strategies across the spectrum of life. From dandelions to giraffes, nature finds a way. One of those ways creates quite a bit of suffering for humans: pollen, the infamous of the plant kingdom.

In the Southeastern U.S., where I live, you know it’s spring and pollen blankets your patio furniture and anything else left outside. Suddenly there are long lines at every car wash in town.

On heavy pollen days, cars can end up covered in yellow grains. Scott Akerman/Flickr, CC BY

Even people who aren’t allergic to pollen — clearly an advantage for a — can experience sneezing and watery eyes during the release of tree pollen each spring. in the air will irritate just about anyone, even if your immune system does not launch an all-out attack.