Scott Wachter
It’s a nice, sunny summer day. There’s a breeze that’s breaking up the humidity in the air
One can hear the leaves rustling in trees, and there are birds and the occasional car, and the quiet is relished. Then suddenly, almost out of nowhere, there’s an ear splitting sound that shatters the peace. It’s piercing, as if it’s right next door, but it’s down the street. There’s also an instant a smell of exhaust fumes
With exasperation, you arise from your chair and start walking around the outside of your house to determine the source. You see several workers from a landscape company, all wielding gas leaf blowers at one time. The workers have the engines on their backs, and they manipulate the hoses as they work.
Although the landscapers are hundreds of yards away, the sound is piercing. They’re blowing but a few leaves, and some blades of grass. It makes you wonder, why do four gas leaf blowers have to be operating simultaneously, when there’s so little to clear? As you ponder this, the noise just gets worse.
Reluctantly you go inside to avoid the noise, and you still hear the machines as the sound penetrates the walls. After 45 long minutes, the sound stops as the landscapers go on to their next job.
The above scenario happens almost daily in NE Ohio communities. Who hasn’t been jarred by the sounds of gas leaf blowers, either in the morning, afternoon or evening? And there’s a reason we react differently to a gas leaf blower as opposed to a power mower.
Gas Leaf Blower Issues
There are several aspects to Gas leaf blowers, (GLB’s), that are unique when compared to other garden equipment.
GLB’s utilize two-stroke engines, which are lighter in weight, but have high emissions and low fuel efficiency. This type of engine often wears out faster than other types of engines.
Two stroke engines produce a lower frequency sound that can be heard at greater distances, and travels more easily through homes and windows. A typical power lawn mower has a four-stroke internal combustion engine. Though they are loud and have emissions, they are not as caustic to the environment.
According to the National Institute of Health, gas leaf blowers on average produce between 95-115 decibels. The World Health Organization has set a recommended daytime limit of 55 dB for outdoor environments.
According to the Mt. Sinai Institute for Exposomic Research, 30% of the gas and oil that gas leaf blowers use is unburned and goes directly into our air. These types of emissions have carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, and many more harmful substances. When these toxins are released, they can contribute to poor respiratory health, heart disease, cancer, and other illnesses. The California Air Resources Board (CARB) estimates that operating a gas leaf blower for one hour releases emissions equivalent to driving a car for 15 hours or 1,100 miles.
Steps to Counter GLB’s
There are many things individuals can do to raise awareness about GLB’s.
*Become a role model for your neighborhood. When dealing with leaves, use an electric leaf blower, or a rake, or even leave the leaves, which is the best option for air quality and pollinator health.
*When out walking or biking, go out of your way to thank someone using a rake or an electric leaf blower.
*Increase awareness of gas leaf blower use. It’s a safe bet that if you mention that you find them noisy and smelly, you’ll find many will agree with you.
*If you employ a landscape company, talk to them about using gas leaf blowers. Try to create a contract where the company would opt to use electric leaf blowers, or just leave the leaves.
There are also actions at a local level that can make a difference. Progress has been made with over 150 cities banning the use of Gas Leaf Blowers. Cities that have banned gas powered leaf blowers include Portland, Washington DC, Ann Arbor, Baltimore. Your city could be next!
*Do some research on the decibel level GLB’s produce in your area. There are phone apps available to measure decibel levels. It’s very possible the GLB’s violate city code, and City Hall should be aware of this.
*Encourage your neighbors to attend council meetings and bring awareness to city council representatives as to the dangers of gas leaf blowers.
*There’s a strong environmental justice aspect to the use of gas leaf blowers that a community can explore. Landscape company workers who frequently use leaf blowers are at risk because of the noise and the emissions.
*Educate your neighbors by conducting some GLB workshops.
*Many cities are offering programs encouraging residents to turn in their gas leaf blowers in exchange for electric blowers. Ask your city council rep to consider such a program.
*Ask city officials who oversee the service department to start using electric leaf blowers as a role model.
It’s past time for residents of NE Ohio to restrict or ban the use of gas leaf blowers. Other cities have done this; so can we. Let’s bring back the quiet and the clean for everyone.
For more information, please go to https://www.quietcleanpdx.org/