Every year at around this time, I start thinking about the cedar trees
that people say were planted all over Japan (or is it just in the
mountains bordering the Kanto area?) after World War II. Fortunately,
I'm not affected by their pollen, but a vast majority of my students
are.

I'm impressed with the way they bear the 2- or 3- month-long allergic
reaction. I don't think I could handle it. I'm pretty sure I'd be up
in the mountains, axe in hand, chopping away maniacally at the
confounded trees.

I sometimes wonder why the government of Japan doesn't have some robot
lumberjacks invade the cedar forests and raze them to the ground.
Then, robot green-thumbers could go in and plant bamboo trees, or
maple trees, or some other kind of non-hayfever-inducing flora.

The most likely (and most conspiratorial) explanation is that the big
pharma companies love cedar, love their pollen, and love the
months-long allergy-fest they cause. Alongside various capsules and
pills, you can usually find the government in big pharma's pockets,
and thus, the cedar trees live on.

Are you affected by cedar pollen? What should be done about it?