A carpenter bee forages for pollen on an azalea shrub in Wilmington, Del., May 8. Global warming is making the pollen season last longer and attracting insects, scientists say.

Climate change isn't only bad for the Earth, it may be bad for your health — especially if you have allergies or asthma.

Global warming is making pollen seasons last longer, creating more ozone in the air, and even expanding the areas where insects flourish, putting more people with bee allergies at greater risk, experts say.

"Climate change will cause impacts in every area. Wet areas will get wetter, and drier climates are getting drier," said Dr. Jeffrey Demain, director of the Allergy, Asthma and Immunology Center of Alaska, and a clinical associate professor at the University of Washington.

Those changes will mean more people with allergies and asthma will suffer. In wet areas, mold allergies will spike, while in drier areas pollens and other airborne irritants will become more of a problem, he said.

Last month, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced that it believes carbon dioxide and five additional greenhouse gases are dangerous to human health. This finding may eventually lead to environmentally friendly changes, such as regulations for cleaner energy and more fuel-efficient cars.

But, right now, problems caused by climate change are already evident, especially in Alaska, Demain said.

"There's been a significant shift in the ecosystem because of the rises in winter temperatures," he said. "On average, Alaska's temp has risen 6.4 degrees in winter and 3.4 degrees overall. And, the earlier the snow melts, the earlier the pollen cycle begins."

In addition to longer pollen seasons, the plant and tree life is changing along with the warmer temperatures. Demain said it's estimated that 90% of the Alaskan tundra will be forested by 2100, and that the types of trees that are most common are changing, too.

The warmer temperatures are also attracting insects. In the past, Alaska hasn't had too many stinging insects. But, said Demain, northern Alaska has recently seen a 620% increase in the number of people seeking care for bee stings.

Although Alaska's experience may be more dramatic than the rest of the United States, it's definitely not the only region that's experiencing change.

"We're having warmer, wetter winters, which lead to long springs and an increase in seasonal allergens," said Dr. David Peden, director of the Center for Environmental Medicine, Asthma and Lung Biology at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill.

Peden also said that ozone levels are higher, which causes more asthma symptoms.

So, what can you do to protect yourself? Both Peden and Demain said that just being aware of the problem is the first step. Next, is to be sure you know specifically what you're allergic to, and then be aware of pollen and mold cycles so you can properly adjust your behavior when those levels are high.

"Pollens are usually highest in the mornings, but grass is elevated in the morning and evening. If you're tree- or weed-allergic, plan outdoor activities for the afternoon or evening. If you're grass-allergic, you might want to plan to be outside midday. Warm, sunny, dry days are usually the ones with the greatest pollen," Demain said.

Of course, it's not always possible to stay indoors, and treatments are available that can help you live with allergies and asthma.

"As mundane as this sounds, if you have allergic disease or asthma, consult with an allergist so that you have maximal therapy and information on seasonal concerns. If you're in an area with lengthy pollen seasons, allergy shots might be useful," Peden said.

"The climate is changing, and it's changing at an unprecedented rate. Whether it's a natural cycle, or whether humans are the cause, we have to recognize that this is happening," said Demain, who added, "Every small step [such as using compact fluorescent bulbs or driving less] is important. If we all take that step, we can have a big impact."

這是5月8日一只木匠蜂在特拉華州威爾明頓的杜鵑花從中搜尋花粉的情景。科學家們表示,氣候變暖正在使花粉季節延長,并吸引了更多的昆蟲。

氣候變化不僅對地球有害,它也許對你的健康也有害——特別是如果你患有過敏癥或哮喘病話。

專家們表示,全球變暖正在使花粉季節延長,空氣中產生更多的臭氧,甚至擴大昆蟲繁盛的區域,讓更多對蜜蜂過敏的人處于更大的風險之中。

“氣候變化將會對每一個地區產生影響。潮濕地區將會變得更潮濕,干燥氣候將會變得更干燥,”阿拉斯加過敏、哮喘和免疫學中心主任、華盛頓大學臨床副教授杰弗里·德美恩博士說。

這些變化意味著更多患有過敏癥和哮喘病的人將會深受其害。他表示,在潮濕地區,真菌過敏將會快速增長;而在干燥地區,花粉和其它空氣傳播的刺激物將會成為更大的問題。

上個月,美國環境保護局宣布它確信二氧化碳和另外五種溫室氣體對人體有害。這個發現最終可能會導致有利于環境的變化,例如關于清潔能源和低油耗汽車的法規的出現。

但是,現在,由氣候變化引起的問題已很明顯了,特別是在阿拉斯加,德美恩說。

“由于冬季氣溫的升高,生態系統已經有了顯著的變化,”他說:“平均起來,阿拉斯加的冬季氣溫已經升高了6.4度,而全年升高了3.4度。并且,雪化得越早,花粉周期開始得越早。”

除了更長的花粉季節外,植物和樹木的生命力也正在隨著變暖的氣溫而變化。德美恩說,到2100年,估計有90%的阿拉斯加凍土地帶將會草木從生,并且最普通的樹木的種類也將發生變化。

變暖的氣溫也會吸引昆蟲。過去,阿拉斯加并沒有多少螫刺昆蟲。但是,德美恩說,最近已發現北阿拉斯加尋求蜂螫護理的人數增長620%。

雖然阿拉斯加的經驗也許比美國其它地方更富戲劇性,但它絕對不是經歷這種變化的唯一地區。

“我們擁有了溫暖潮濕的冬季,這將導致春天延長和季節性過敏癥的增加,”查伯爾希爾的北卡羅來那大學環境醫學、哮喘與肺生物學中心主任大衛.佩登說。

佩登還說臭氧水平更高了,這將引起更多的哮喘癥狀。

那么,你能做些什么來保護自己呢?佩登和德美恩都說,意識到問題只是第一步。下一步是確切地知道你對什么過敏,然后是了解花粉和真菌的周期,以便當它們處于較高水平的時候你能適當地調整自己的行為。

“花粉通常在早晨達到最高水平,但草在早晨和晚間都很活躍。如果你對樹木或雜草過敏,就將戶外活動安排到下午或傍晚。如果你對草過敏,你可能想把外出安排在正午。(原文如此)溫暖、陽光充足、干燥的天氣通常有著最高水平的花粉,”德美恩說。

當然,不可能總是呆在戶內,有能幫助你對付過敏癥和哮喘的治療方法。

“就象這個聲音一樣平常,如果你有過敏癥或哮喘,去咨詢過敏癥醫師吧,以便你能得到最大限度的治療以及季節性的注意信息。如果你處在有著漫長的花粉季節的地區,過敏注射液可能有用,”佩登說。

“氣候正在變化,并且以一種空前的速度在變化。不管它是一種自然的輪回,抑或是人類的原因,我們都必須認識到這種事情正在發生,”德美恩說,并補充到:“每一小步〔例如使用節能燈或減少用車〕都是重要的。如果我們都走出了那一小步,我們就能產生重要的影響。”