'Gesundheit!' Get ready to say it much more by 2040

Looking for promising, long-term investment strategies? You might be wise to consider putting some money into pharmaceutical companies that manufacture antihistamines.

Why? Because climate change is likely to cause, among many other things, a lot more allergy-causing pollen to be floating around in the air in the future.

One recent study concludes the air in the US could see pollen counts twice as high by 2040.

“Climate changes will increase pollen production considerably in the near future in different parts of the country,” said Leonard Bielory, an allergist presenting his findings to this year’s annual meeting of the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology.

In 2000, pollen counts in the US averaged 8,455. By 2040, those counts are projected to reach 21,735.

Earlier springs are also likely to make allergy season arrive sooner than it does today, Bielory said.

“In 2000, annual pollen production began on April 14, and peaked on May 1,” he said. “Pollen levels are predicted to peak earlier on April 8, 2040.”