Poison Oak and Global Warming

[N80]

Did anyone hear or read the report that the poison oak and poison ivy crop was more lush this year due to global warming? I did not see the report but had several people mention it to me. They thought it was idiotic....which I did also. We had a good laugh and I didn't think about it for a while.

Then, I had several people come into my office with contact dermatitis typical of posion oak or ivy. They'd been exposed to it in their yards. Each one of these folks mentioned that they felt like global warming was the reason they had gotten poison oak. Each time I waited for a smile or punch line, but there was none. These were educated middle class people and to them it made perfect sense that global warming (which they obviosly felt to be as real as gravity) was responsible for the excess poison oak the resulted in their rash.

Now I'm not here to debate global warming...again. For arguments sake lets say it is as real as gravity. But there is no way on God's green earth that any rational person could make a connection between the effects of this presumed global warming and poison oak growth in the spring of 2007! The fact is that we (mid atlantic) had a warm wet spring and lots of poison oak. My back yard is full of it. (In fact, there seems to be slightly less in my back yard than in the last few springs on memory.)

I'm not really here to debate posion ivy growth either. My point is that the American public is as gullible and suggestable as any marketing department could want them to be. Put it on the radio, the TV or the internet and they'll buy. It is just staggering to me how serious these patients were. They've heard about global warming on TV....so it must be true. Then they heard on TV that the global warming was making poison oak grow more...so it must be true. It is just a small mental leap to go from those two points of info to realize how bad global warming already was in their own back yards and itchy hides. Unfortunately that small mental leap was the only mental exercise they are willing to bring to the table.

How can this nation remain great when its middle class (and I consider myself one of them...middle class that is) is so stupid and soft? It makes me want to sob. Seriously.

(For a point of reference, when I say middle class I'm not necessarily talking about household income. I'm talking about those of us considerably above the poverty line with decent incomes and educations but who are not amongst the very wealthy or powerful.)

 

[EddieWalker]

George,

I think it's more of a blame somebody, anybody, mentality then anything else. People get a rash from poisong oak, so they look for somebody else to blame for it besides themselves. The lazy mental aproach is also a big part of the problem. They hear on TV or the Radio that Global warming caused it, so they don't think past what they are told. Regardless of our silly it is, there are too many people who just automaticaly believe what they hear.

What really kills me is how often those sources are proven wrong. Time after time it comes out that there is no proof or evidence to support what they are reporting, but they just keep on passing along there silly stories.

Fortunately, it looks like we've turned a corner on global warming. I'm hearing more and more from those who are debunking it and those that support it are resorting to name calling instead of trying to support their positions.

Eddie

 

[California]

I suppose I hit your target demographic, and I never heard of this poison oak / global warming hypothesis.

But I'm simply curious if there might be a tie. Without using the words 'global warming' - does it seem that this year you are receiving the weather that usually is delivered to a different region of the country?

 

[hazmat]

I read the article in the newspaper a couple months ago, but was afraid to post here .

The "science" behind the theory is that the eco system is very sensative to minor changes in average temperatures - apparantly poison ivy & poison oak will thrive in our "northern" climates if it gets a couple degrees warmer.

While not a biologist, I do believe that plants are very sensative to minor temp swings - for example, when skiing (even here in NE) you see a major difference in the size of the trees at the top of the mountain vs. the bottom, we're only talking an elevation change of <2,000 ft. Another example is that my wife's hydrangeas struggle at our house, but thrive at my parents who are 100 mi south.

MODERATOR HAT ON NOW Lets leave the global warming part out of this discussion or we will have to shut it down (politics).

 

[hazmat]

msn article

seems that it is the increased CO2, not temp that makes for "super ivy"

 

[N80]

Right here, right now, it has been hotter than usual. But not hotter than ever nor hotter than anyone can remember.

Truth of the matter is that we had a warm spring with well spaced rains. Just right for fast growing vines. And everything else. It was a lush green spring and stayed that way longer into the summer than usual. But really, there has been no more poison oak, poison ivy, trumpeter vine, jasmine, honey suckle or kudzo than any other recent spring or summer.

The thing is, if global warming is a boon for poison oak, it would also be a boon for every other green growing thing. Tomatos, melons, cucumbers, etc etc etc.

The problem is that the rhetoric of global warming is couched in negativity. If it is going to cause an increase in something it has to be a bad thing (poison oak, hurricanes, etc). If it is going to cause a decrease in something it has to be a good thing (preferably cute and cuddly like a polar bear). The simple truth is that any universal change is going to statistically have as many good things as bad. You ever heard a global warming idealogue say anything good about it?

But still, that really isn't my beef. My beef is with people endowed with perfectly good minds and educations not be willing to use them. There is nothing remotely logical or even reasonable about making a connection with global warming and one years growth of poison oak. Nothing. And it is so sad that it will not even occur to people like this to doubt the assumption. Not even a little.

How do you spell 'bourgeoisie'?

 

[N80]

msn article

seems that it is the increased CO2, not temp that makes for "super ivy"

Yes, but why super ivy? Why not super kudzu or super corn? See what I'm saying?

As for politics etc, I made my first reply before I saw your replies. Again, my point has more to do with ignorance than politics. Lock thread as you see fit.

 

[hazmat]

Yes, but why super ivy? Why not super kudzu or super corn? See what I'm saying?

As for politics etc, I made my first reply before I saw your replies. Again, my point has more to do with ignorance than politics. Lock thread as you see fit.

Because the good scientists at Duke & Harvard tested Poison Ivy, not kudzo or corn. . Seriously, don't know why the ivy likes the CO2 so much...

Regarding why people link their rashes to global warming - they read it in USA today - some Phd's at Duke & Harvard did a study, it must be true...

Don't know if I'd call that ignorant, but they have other things on their mind and perhaps consider the newpaper & the prestigious universities as "trusted sources".

 

[hitekcountry]

287.93% of all scientists agree.

 

[Skyco]

I was concerned to read that CO2 thing awhile back when it was released...I have some property in NC that has, or HAD, rampant poison ivy. When I first bought it I got nailed bad twice, bad enough to go see the Dr. and get put on prednisone and THAT alone is some weird stuff to be on as I 'm sure N80 can testify. Stomach aches, hungry all the time, can't sleep, mood swings etc...
Now I've gotten very good at recognizing the stuff and have managed so far to stay out of it this year. I keep a strong mix of brush killer handy in sprayers, if it has 3 leaves it dies Problem is the dead stuff can still get you for years to come and once dead it is dang near impossible to recognize.
There are ancient poison ivy vines up some of the trees that are as big as your forearm... the absolute worst case I ever had was after Hurricane Hugo- was helping my dad clean up some fallen trees and there were apparently some poison ivy vines up the trunks...amazing how far and wide a chainsaw can distribute poison ivy vapor...that also resulted in a trip to the Dr. and much misery...

Actually the report I read said that, and my numbers are off I'm sure, say CO2 goes up 200PPM, normal plants may grow say 5% faster but Poison Ivy grows say 150% faster