When people think of global warming, they think of extreme heat and crazy weather patterns. But worsening asthma symptoms may be another thing to add to that list.

A May 2017 study in GeoHealth found that climate change is likely to lengthen the oak pollen season by up to 8 days, causing a 10% increase in ER visits for pollen-related asthma incidents in the Midwest United States. This may not seem like much, but in 2010, allergic reactions to oak pollen sent more than 20,000 people to the emergency room. Seventy percent of these patients were children.

So a 10% increase could mean thousands more ER trips for children suffering serious asthma attacks. It’s just one more reason for us to try and become better stewards of the planet.

1. Earth, “More asthma emergencies with climate change,” July/Aug. 2017, p. 38