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Magnolia trees in the Neighborhood

What is Rightfully Mine?

  With summer around the corner, I ask myself, what part of nature is rightfully mine? Clean air, drinkable water, clean coastal beaches, non-polluted inland waterways, thriving Redwood Forests in the West, Sugar Maples in the East?

  After huffing and puffing up the trail by my home, I realized how cloistered I'd been this winter. But with the trillium in bloom and magnolia blossoms painting neighborhood streets pink, I emerged from my cocoon vowing to take advantage of almost perfect springtime temperatures. No longer worried about pipes bursting in below-freezing weather or summer fires making breathing hard, I cleanse my lungs with fresh oxygen in the forested parks around Portland.

  Unfortunately, I've become allergic to the trees surrounding me on my walks. My nose drips with my first step on the trail. Yet, I march on, determined not to let nature get the best of me as I use one Kleenex after another…sigh. It seems misery loves company, for I hear I'm not alone. More people have allergies than ever, with estimates that 30 to 40 percent of the world's population suffers from hay fever, eczema, and asthma. I wonder why.

  A prevalent theory, "the hygiene hypothesis," suggests modern living has become too clean and that children aren't being exposed to the germs that train their immune systems to differentiate between harmless and harmful irritants. The research behind this theory shows that families living on farms develop fewer allergic diseases. Other studies indicate more complex factors, such as a shift in eating more processed food and digesting less fiber. Some scientists believe the rise in environmental toxins reduces the skin's ability to ward off allergens. Antibiotics and acetaminophen (Tylenol), they say, may increase the risk of asthma by changing bacterial flora. Obesity is another suggested contributing factor, and so is a deficiency in vitamin D, which is essential for lung and immune development. My physician-father used to send me outside on sunny days to soak up vitamin D.

  Because of the rise in allergies, Americans drain their savings with air purifiers, antihistamines, and allergy-free foods. Even those with mild allergies may not sleep well, which often affects their mental state and productivity. This year's warmer weather and early spring triggered an earlier pollen season and worsening seasonal allergies. Climate Change has added twenty days to allergy seasons nationwide. Paired with respiratory virus season and insurance regulatory issues, 2024 is a tough year for those needing medication for allergies and asthma control.

Rather than eliminating air and water pollution, Americans turn to costly medical cures, filter their homes, and purchase bottled water. No wonder the middle class feels broke. Wouldn't it be better to eliminate pollution, eat healthier food, and spend more time outdoors? If we don't care for our surroundings, we'll remain victims of water and airborne diseases.
Access to clean air and water is a right that should not be turned over to corporations and pharmacies that profit from our mistakes. They have a vested interest in keeping us ill. I started writing eco-thrillers by asking citizens to monitor what is happening in their communities.

  The Water Factor is a Rightfully Mine novel that demonstrates how corporate interests can abuse access to clean water and make living worse. Antheia in the Thorns, the second book in the series, will be published next year. It points to a little-known product with a significant adverse effect on our air.

  Nature is Rightfully Mine and Yours. It should not be a commodity for sale.

Take action in your community to ensure that water, air, and forests remain pure for future generations.

References:

  Davies, D. (2023). Why our Allergies are Getting Worse - and what to do about it.  NPR. Retrieved from https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2023/05/30/1178433166/theresa-macphail-allergic-allergies#:~:text

  Website (20224) . More than a Quarter of W.S. Adults and Children Have at Least One Allergy. Center for Disease Control. Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/pressroom/nchs_press_releases/2022/20220126.htm#:~:text

  Christ, Carolyn (2024) Asthma AttackP Allergies, Rising Costs Impacting Patients. WebMD. retrieved from https://www.webmd.com/asthma/news/20240417/asthma-attack-allergies-rising-costs-impacting-patients