Pollen is Getting Worse

As the planet warms, growing seasons are getting longer.  Here in Columbia, our growing season (the average number of days between freezes) has increased roughly 30 days in the last 50 years.  The result?  More pollen.   Here are the takeaways from Climate Central:

KEY CONCEPTS

Our warming climate results in more freeze-free days each year — giving plants more time to grow and release allergy-inducing pollen.

The freeze-free growing season lengthened in 83% (164) of 197 U.S. cities analyzed since 1970.

These 164 cities saw their freeze-free season lengthen by 19 days on average.

Climate change contributes to earlier, longer, worse allergy seasons for millions in the U.S. that suffer from seasonal allergies to pollen — including 19% of children.

Climate Central’s fact sheet, Climate Change & Children’s Health: Seasonal Allergies, details how the climate trends that are worsening allergy season affect children’s health and well-being.