EVERYWHERE in the developed world allergies are on the rise, whether it’s hay
fever, asthma or frightening reactions to foods as diverse as peanuts and
shellfish. Not surprisingly, there is a widespread belief that this allergy
epidemic is somehow related to the unnaturalness of modern life. Supposed
culprits run from the army of manufactured chemicals we are exposed to, to the
excess cleanliness of the environment in which children grow up.
It is strange then to hear that at least one part of the allergy epidemic
might be explained by our desire for greenness and naturalness in urban life.
According…
