The other day, I was driven over the edge by a garden tool that should have never been invented: the leaf blower.
It’s not often that I get a few moments of quiet to myself, but while my baby was napping and my four-year-old was occupied with something, I laid down in my bedroom to rest my eyes and aching shoulders. A moment later, I heard someone turn a leaf blower on. It was so loud and disturbing that I thought my window was open, but it wasn’t.
If the blower was on for 15 minutes, it would not have been as bad, but I live in an area with a lot of trees and leaves to pick up. The blowers seem to go on for hours.
Earlier in the fall, I had a similar experience. It was a beautiful, sunny day, and my husband took both boys to the store. With one hour to myself, I decided to sit on my front porch to do a little writing and enjoy the weather. Unfortunately, that same leaf blower drove me back inside. Someone might as well have been drilling cement.
I chose not to live in a city for a reason. I don’t like noise pollution. I realize I can’t do anything about cars or lawn mowers, and those sounds don’t bother me as much anyway. But leaf blowers… come on. Besides being extra loud, I will never understand the obsession with having to keep one’s driveway perfectly clear of twigs and leaves, especially when a fresh supply will fall down on it tomorrow!
We must be the only people on our street that does not own a leaf blower.
I’m proud of my husband. He enjoys the fresh air and exercise he gets from raking leaves, or he mows them and puts them into a compost pile. Raking leaves is a great activity for the whole family too, and my son loves to get outside with us and help rake. Now he’s old enough to find the fun in jumping into big piles of leaves.
After these experiences, I began to wonder if leaf blowers might be bad for the environment in other ways, so I did a little research. Not surprisingly, I found that there’s a huge controversy over leaf blowers.
According to Wikipedia, several cities in California have banned leaf blowers or have city ordinances restricting their use. Arizona, Hawaii and New Jersey have considered laws at the state level. Other cities also have regulations on them.
Manufacturers have responded to criticism by developing blowers that are quieter, but I don’t think I’ve had the pleasure of hearing one of these.
Once I was at a park with my kids, and there was a city worker using a leaf blower. My friends and I had to stop our conversation, and the sound seemed to follow us through the park like a mosquito singing in our ears.
Before I did any research, however, I thought city workers should be able to use leaf blowers. I know they have a lot of work to do, and the blowers must make it easier. I just wanted them banned in neighborhoods.
Unfortunately, I found out that gasoline-powered blowers cause air pollution. There are alternatives such as electric blowers, and I’m sure manufacturers have tried to solve this problem too.
But then I read on the Sierra Club Green Home website that blowers can stir up a lot of mold and other allergens. (The same goes for burning leaves.
My sinuses have suffered several times from people burning leaves and other debris in their yards.) This same article states that a better solution is to rake and mulch the leaves.
“By turning your leaves into mulch and spreading them over your lawn and garden you can improve the soil qual-ity, fertilize your lawn and protect your garden from the upcoming frigid winter weather.” (http://www.sierraclubgreenhome. com/go-green/ landscaping-and-outdoors/ burning-leaves-is-bad-news/) It also states that leaf mulch will become a natural fertilizer rich in nitrogen and that it will help retain moisture in the soil.
I’m sure the fight whether or not to ban leaf blowers will continue, and I’m sure I will remain on the side to ban those noisy things. Get out and rake, people!
And if you want more information about why leaf blowers are not desirable, here’s a good source for you to read: http://www.nonoise.org/quietnet/ cqs/leafblow.htm
Shelli Bond Pabis is a Winder resident and columnist for the Barrow Journal. You can send comments about this column to shelli@mamaofletters.com.
I'll be raking the old fashion way and they will be sitting outside "petting" their leaf blower. ROFLMAO
Air quality, I would venture that the sir INSIDE your residence is more hazardous that outside with the idea blowers "can stir up a lot of mold and other allergens." if you have carpet, and you wear your shoes in the house, pet dander, trapped gasses from synthetic products.
Lady if you lok for a witch you'll find one, this is LIFE, there are risk, LOTS of them. Enjoy a nap find a WHITE noise generator, Sleep well
Charlie
People are too soft.
As my dear ole pappy use to say."Git off yer butt and git outside, work won't kill ya"
I am now dumber for having read this article and award you zero points.
Chewing Gum
Parades
Flip Flops
People that spit
None of these things are going to be outlawed until I become ruler.
Regardless of the complaint, idea, or cause, Winder cannot get enough community support to do anything productive.
However, in the course of your piece you failed to present a solid argumet. The article could have presented the reader with useful information instead of being an opportunity to present personal whining.
#1 Research requires that you look at BOTH sides of the issue with equal fervor. This means don't just present the Sierra Club views. Contact manuafacturers. Learn what models are available today. What is being done to address the issues you raise? Oh, don't forget to contact the folks that REGULATE our lives at the EPA concerning noise and polluton standards and their affects on our lives.
#2 Did you present your complaint to that terrible neighbor who sought to keep the yard looking good? Did you offer to send your husband over with a rake so that you could sleep peacefully?
#3 Modern life is filled with inconveniences. As one reader suggested, investing in a set of earplugs might be a worthwhile option for you.
Finally, in your honor I just finished 2 hours of blasting my leaf blower in my yard. Now it looks nice and beautiful. I think I'll shut my hearing aid off and take a nap!