As if global warming in itself isn’t bad enough, now we’re hearing that it is something that poison ivy loves.
The higher temperatures encourage stronger and more rapid growth. It seems that this pest just loves the heat.
We learned the cycle of plants of animals and their use of the atmosphere in elementary science classes. Animals use oxygen and release carbon dioxide. Plants feed off of the carbon dioxide and release oxygen.
Plants feed on carbon dioxide as part of photosynthesis. The more carbon dioxide is available, the more chlorophyll they produce. Chlorophyll is one source of food for plants and since there’s more, the plants grow faster and bigger.
Poison Ivy is one plant that is very sensitive to the amount of available carbon dioxide. In addition, it not only increases the production of urushiol which is the oil that makes allergic people itch. The urushiol is also becoming more potent.
With over 80% of the population allergic to poison ivy, this should be one more incentive to try and stop global warming.