♪♪
-I was definitely sneezing all the time, a lot.
-For millions of people, allergy season
now starts earlier and lasts longer.
But why is that, and how can you find relief?
-I really believe that Yori has guided me to this place.
-Fun in the water can quickly turn tragic.
This woman's heartbreaking loss
has moved her to help save lives.
♪♪
Don't miss your chance to learn and enjoy
this exhilarating dance in a breathtaking setting.
These stories and more next on "CityStream."
♪♪
Hi. I'm Tatevik Aprikyan.
Welcome to "CityStream" from Alki Beach.
♪♪
This is one of the best spots to enjoy a sunny August day.
Alki Beach is tough to beat,
with its stunning views of the sound and the mountains,
the scenic walkway filled with joggers, cyclists,
and people enjoying the outdoors.
The sandy beach is also a haven
for sunbathers and volleyballers.
Plus, there's plenty of restaurants nearby.
Before long, these summer days will grow shorter.
But one thing sure to drag on is a condition
that affects a lot of people -- allergies.
About a quarter of all people living in this country
now suffer from seasonal allergies.
And if you've noticed your allergies are getting worse,
new research shows it's likely because of climate change.
And here in the Pacific Northwest,
the allergy season is starting earlier
and lasting into the fall
because our summers are much warmer.
A summer day in Seattle
means warm temperatures and people like Jeannie Oliver
enjoying her lunch break outdoors at Gasworks Park.
-It's just so iconic Seattle. I love it.
And you can see everyone just enjoying themselves,
the sea planes coming in.
-Oliver moved to Seattle from Southern California
in the early '90s, and it didn't take long
for her to notice symptoms she never had before.
-I was definitely sneezing all the time, a lot,
and I didn't necessarily have a lot of post-nasal drip,
but I would wake up really congested
and have to blow my nose all the time.
-Her active lifestyle was a natural fit
for the Pacific Northwest,
but her body had a different reaction to the outdoors.
-I was just spending more time outdoors,
doing more outdoor sports,
and then I would get incredibly itchy eyes, to the point where,
you know, I was having to use allergy eye drops constantly,
and I was always itchy, and it was affecting my vision.
-Oliver, who is a functional nutritionist and wellness coach,
knew her body was allergic to something,
and it was starting to impact her life.
An allergist confirmed it was pollen allergies.
-He did the skin-prick testing
and looked at all the different things,
and there were several tree pollens that I was reacting to.
Molds were big, but, yeah, the pollens really showed up.
-At UW Medicine,
Clinical Assistant Professor of Allergy and Immunology
Dr. Jenny Yi Sun
says Oliver's story of developing allergies
after moving to a new part of the country is common.
-When the body sees something
that they eventually develop allergies to,
there are allergy cells that line our airways,
that line our nasal tract that, once they see
that allergen, essentially release histamine,
and that's one of the chemicals in the body
that causes these wonderful symptoms
that can impact a patient's quality of life.
-Every year, Dr. Sun says some of her patients
complain their allergies are getting more bothersome,
and new research supports
they're likely feeling the effects of climate change.
-The temperatures are getting warmer.
The rainy seasons are getting longer, as well.
So that not only increases the length of pollen seasons
but also increases the amount of overlap.
So that's probably part of the reason, at least,
why allergies are getting worse for some people.
-Here in the Pacific Northwest,
our temperate climate is just right for pollen,
which usually peaks at the low 50-degree mark.
We know plants generate energy through photosynthesis,
a process that needs sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide.
Our atmosphere has carbon dioxide naturally,
but as people burn more fossil fuels,
like gasoline in cars or coal in power plants,
we're putting more carbon dioxide in the air.
More carbon dioxide means more heat
is trapped in the Earth's atmosphere,
creating the greenhouse effect.
For plants and trees, that warmth
leads to more growth and more pollen.
-When you add extra heat to our Earth system,
it shakes things up in some big ways.
The most obvious is that we see our weather changing.
-That's Bernadette Woods Placky at Climate Central,
a nonprofit climate research organization.
As our climate warms, all four seasons are warming up,
too, but at different rates across the country.
This map shows which season is getting warmer
the fastest in the U.S.
For most of the East Coast, the blue dots show
winter is getting warmer quicker than other seasons.
And for us in the Pacific Northwest,
the yellow dots indicate it's the summer season.
-For our specific analysis,
we looked at about 170 cities around the U.S.,
and 85% of those cities
experienced a lengthening allergy season.
-Research published in the scientific journal
PNAS suggests human-caused climate warming
was the main reason of lengthening pollen seasons.
Compared to 30 years ago,
the pollen season is starting, on average, 20 days earlier
and lasting for almost a month longer.
-When you start to see the ground bud,
that is happening earlier and earlier.
On the opposite side, in the fall,
when you get that first freeze,
that's happening later and later.
So you're growing that growing season.
-If the rate of carbon dioxide emissions continue,
the U.S. could face up to a 200% increase in pollen production
by the end of the century.
In Seattle, our pollen count is provided
by the Northwest Asthma & Allergy Center.
They measure pollen with a special machine
on top of their roof in Northgate.
-Called a Burkard Sampler.
-Dr. Frank Virant says the machine
gets moved around by the wind.
In this small intake, the pollen comes in
and attaches itself to a slide.
That slide is then taken to the lab
and analyzed three times a week, where pollen count is recorded.
-But these are good examples of the kinds of pollens
that we'll typically see.
Often, these that have three corners like this,
as is labeled here.
This is maple, poplar, elm as an example.
-As temperatures are warming,
the pollen emitted by different trees and grasses
are also overlapping more often.
-It doesn't seem to be going anywhere soon.
-For Oliver, whether it's a day at the park
or conversations with her clients.
-It's definitely starting earlier. It's very noticeable.
People are complaining earlier in the spring,
later into the fall. -The warmer weather means
Seattleites get to enjoy those cherished summer days longer,
but the hotter temperatures raise the burden
for allergy sufferers who likely won't be catching a break
if the climate change trends continue.
If you have seasonal allergies, Dr. Sun suggests
starting medication before your peak allergy hits.
This could make symptoms less severe.
Jeannie Oliver takes a more holistic approach,
urging her clients to avoid dairy.
She also says foods high in vitamin C,
like leafy greens and broccoli,
act like a natural antihistamine.
Just ahead, a day of fun turns tragic.
Now one woman turns her grief into action to save lives.
That story as "CityStream" continues.
♪♪
-Beyond the fun of a summertime swim lies a harsh reality.
Drownings are still one of the leading causes of death
for kids.
The city of Seattle has just launched a new program
to try and change that grim statistic,
and they're getting help from a mom with a very difficult
but important story to tell.
Brian Callanan has more.
-When Chezik Tsunoda looks out on a pool full of kids swimming,
she sees joy, laughter,
and a parent's ultimate sorrow.
-Disbelief after a 4-year-old drowned
in a neighbor's swimming pool.
-There was a parent present
at the time of the incident.
-It was truly a case of someone thought someone was watching,
and that someone thought someone else was watching.
Kids were playing in the pool. Yori was on the steps.
And at some point, Yori was floating in the pool.
We attempted CPR. First responders came.
We got him to the hospital, but, ultimately, he did not make it.
-As Chezik grieved the loss of her 4-year-old son,
Yori, she learned she was far from alone.
CDC figures show drowning
is the number-one cause of death in our country
for 1- to 4-year-olds.
-My initial thing was just to scream,
"Hey, don't let your kids drown."
And then you realize
no one thinks their kids are going to drown.
-And that's when her grief turned into action.
-We've done a really great job this week.
-Chezik founded a nonprofit called No More Under
that offers free swim lessons
for children who may have never had the opportunity to swim,
like these kids at an apartment complex pool
just outside of Renton.
-You're doing it!
I'm so proud!
-Studies show the challenges they're up against in the water
run deeper than you might think.
-And when you dig in a little further,
you realize that Black and Brown children
are drowning four to five times more.
-That led Chezik to team up with a new city program
called Swim Seattle,
a drowning-prevention initiative
which is offering 250 local kids free swim classes this summer
and bringing to the surface a life-or-death matter of equity
when it comes to water safety.
-We're focusing on under-resourced families
and those most at need because there is a lack of access.
There's so many barriers -- time, money,
cultural differences.
As much as we can do to break down barriers
and stigmas and misunderstandings,
that's the goal.
-But keeping kids safe in the water
is just part of the story.
Swim instructors with No More Under
say parents have a lot to learn, too.
-So what's the question that we ask an adult
when we want to go swimming?
"Will you..." -"Watch me?"
-"Will you..." -"Watch me?"
-Noelle Singleton facilitates these classes,
which are sometimes just a week long,
to encourage as many people as possible to join in.
-If you see that somebody needs help,
never, ever, ever get in the water.
-The lessons are more about survival
and less about learning different swimming strokes,
and they're truly a community effort.
-We've had children who've had to translate for their parents,
but it's been an amazing opportunity
because we're still having a conversation,
even if they're asking me questions
in a different language.
We're activating the children to activate the adults.
When the child learns water safety,
the whole family learns water safety.
And that really is a game changer.
-Singleton, who runs a group called AfroSwimmers,
says she's passing along another important lesson, too.
-That is excellent.
-She's giving these kids
the confidence they need in the water
to challenge the stereotype
that Black people don't swim.
-We're sowing a seed.
These are our future swim coaches.
These are our future water safety instructors.
This is how it starts, and it starts with giving them
a happy memory associated around water.
-Happy memories aren't always what Yolanda Weems thinks about
when she went swimming growing up.
-There was not a lot of people that looked like me that swam.
-But Weems is intent on changing that story
for her grandkids, Liberty and Lyric,
and for other kids, too.
-It's very important to be able to know that safety
and be able to swim. It's fun, it's healthy.
And I want my grandbabies and everybody to learn.
-Why can't I swim alone?
-Because you might drown in the water.
-That is a very strong possibility.
If you decide to go swimming solo,
that could happen, yes.
-Turning a drowning that could happen
into something that won't happen
is now up to these young students.
And they say they're ready for the task.
-When I say "water," you say "safety."
-Water! Water! -Safety! Safety!
-Very good!
-My favorite part is, like, having fun in the water
and learning how to swim.
-I appreciate you all being here.
-And for Chezik Tsunoda, each lesson is bittersweet,
a reminder of the child she lost
and a connection to the children her work could save.
-I really believe that Yori has guided me to this place,
and it's been everything to stay close to him in this way.
There are some days that are way harder than others,
and then you have days where you see and hear the kids,
and it really does --
You know you're making a difference.
-Good job!
-If you'd like to learn how to get free swimming lessons
for your child, just go to this website --
NoMoreUnder.org.
Next on "CityStream," see where you can enjoy
three fun, low-impact activities in one place.
And if you'd rather dance, this is where you need to be.
It's salsa in the summertime.
These stories as "CityStream" continues.
♪♪
-"CityStream" returns from Alki Beach,
an amazing place to enjoy a lazy summer day.
But if you'd rather be more active,
we have three suggestions.
They're all low-impact, easy to learn,
and guaranteed to make you smile,
and all three happen to be at the same place.
Producers Kathy Toohey and Valerie Vozza explain.
-Tucked away in the Northwest corner of Woodland Park
just off Aurora is an overlooked gem of a park.
It's a place where you can learn the ins and outs of croquet,
have a go at lawn bowling, or try your hand at bocce.
-Don't be short, Mario.
-It's the Woodland Park Lawn Bowling, Croquet, & Bocce Club.
And it all started back in 1940
with the opening of a lawn bowling club.
The club flourished for decades, but then popularity waned.
-About 20 years ago,
lawn bowling just started falling off a little bit,
and they were having trouble with membership numbers.
And meanwhile, croquet was interested in expanding,
and bocce was looking for a home in the city.
-Great job.
-And so, now we're doing pretty good.
We've got probably around 130 total members.
A lot of those are bocce players.
And then we have a smaller cadre of croquet and lawn bowlers.
We have a lease agreement with the city.
We provide public access hours.
We provide the facility for rentals and other activities.
-Throughout the summer, there are evening open houses
in all three sports.
Newcomers are invited to come out,
take a lesson, and learn a new game.
Tonight, it's croquet.
When most people think of croquet,
they think of the casual backyard game.
But the competitive version of croquet is much different.
It's played on smooth greens with one stake in the center
and six narrow wickets,
making it a game of both precision and strategy.
-You could do what we call promoting a ball.
What you're doing is putting the ball you hit
in a better position.
Excellent! That's exactly it.
-People who are interested in continuing can become members,
play more often, and improve their technique.
If you're intimidated by the size of that wicket,
you might want to try rolling a ball instead of striking it.
In lawn bowling, the balls are called bowls.
And just to make it interesting, they're not completely round.
-They're a bias bowl, which means that they're shaped
a little bit different on each side.
-So the bowl can curl and break
as it hunts down the target ball, called the jack.
-Each person has four bowls.
And you deliver them alternately.
You keep alternating until all four bowls
for each person are delivered.
♪♪
And then you go down, and you figure out
who's the closest one to the jack ball,
and they get the first point.
-60.5.
-I really like the pace of play.
It's not, like, a super-strenuous game,
but it's also very strategic.
It's all about your consistency.
♪♪
-The third lawn sport of the club,
bocce, is one of the oldest in the world
and said to be the third-most popular sport worldwide
after soccer and golf.
-We're at lower Woodland, Bocce Club.
League night on Mondays. We play --
June, July, and August is our league nights.
-Bocce and lawn bowling have a few things in common,
one being that they both have a little ball
that all the big balls want to be around.
In bocce, It's called the pallino.
-I throw the pallino out, I throw my ball out,
and then the competition, or my competitor,
throws their ball out
until they get closer than mine to the pallino.
If they do that, then it's my turn.
-Balls are thrown underhand but in a variety of ways.
You can gently lag it.
You can bank it.
Or you could do whatever this is.
-Oh, stop, stop, stop!
-After each round,
the team with the bocce ball closest to the pallino
receives points.
-Ohh! -It's red.
-What's so appealing about this ancient sport?
-Anybody can play.
Our mom played till she was about 85,
and so, literally, anybody can play.
-Couldn't be more fun. I got my 12-year-old son
comes out and plays with us, as well.
-We come every week, and we met great people
who are really helpful and teaching us
and getting us, like, excited about the game.
Yeah, it's a great time. We really love it.
-We won. We're winners. -All the way.
♪♪
-With such a buffet of great games available in the club,
where should you begin?
-Croquet is definitely the best game.
-Lawn bowling, I think, is the more challenging, I think.
-But bocce is damn good.
-We're all back here.
-I just love a ball rolling on green grass in the sun.
♪♪
-There's still time to check out the open houses
and free lessons.
Tuesdays are croquet, Wednesdays are lawn bowling,
Fridays are all bocce.
If you're interested, head to the website
for the Woodland Park Lawn Bowling Club
and get the ball rolling.
The website is WPLBC.org.
We'll be right back.
♪♪
-Each summer, dance enthusiasts gather here in the plaza
next to the Statue of Liberty.
They come to swirl and sway to the exhilarating sounds
of salsa and bachata music.
Producer Randy Yang takes a look.
♪♪
[ Singing in Spanish ]
♪♪
-What a fun way to end this edition of "CityStream"
from beautiful Alki Beach.
If you'd like to see more outstanding
Seattle Channel programs, go to our website,
SeattleChannel.org and search "Feature Shows."
I'm Tatevik Aprikyan. Thank you for watching.
♪♪