The Tyranny Of Leaf Blowers

[Guest Writer, Roseanne Laan, is a graduate of Western Washington University with a degree in Journalism and Environmental Studies. Her hometown is Bellingham, Washington where she enjoys organic gardening, bicycling, and volunteering.]

Leaf blowers are nothing new but they have become a hot topic due to their incessant noise and dangerous pollution. Blowers are ostensibly used to “clean up”  areas such as parking lots, yards, sidewalks and gutters. But there is a growing backlash of complaints about them because of their loud noise, exhaust fumes and the toxic debris that gets blown into the air.  The noise that emanates from them can be as high as 90 decibels.  Prolonged exposure can cause hearing loss and other ear damage according to the CDC.  Blowers force toxic plumes into the air at a speed of up to 200 mph.  This material can include brake dust, heavy metals, engine oil, animal feces, herbicides, fungicides and pesticides. The resulting particulate matter is suspended in the air even after the leaf blowing has stopped. 

“Inhaling these substances in large quantities and with such velocity can have serious and insidious health consequences.” as stated by Quiet Clean PDX, a volunteer organization that has been working to phase out gas-powered leaf blowers in the Portland area since 2018.

Bellingham is a wonderful place surrounded by natural beauty, however our beloved environment is in jeopardy from encroaching forces. Habitat degradation and loss is imminent and we need to protect it.  Pristine lawns and artificial landscapes come at a cost as adamantly stated in an article, “View from the Garden: This Blows – Leaf Blowers Ruining Your Garden by Jeanelle Myers:

“Bad for plants. Leaf blowers upset topsoil, compost and mulch from the garden. We weed, then the weed seeds are blown right back into place. We apply fungicide and spores are blown back onto plants. Soil microorganisms are blown away, making plants less healthy so we use fertilizer. We blow leaves from under hedges and shrubs and then apply mulch.”   

Trees have been dropping leaves way before humans arrived and nature uses this resource as a living environment. Leaves provide food for plants, build soil, while creating habitats for insects and microorganisms without which we cannot survive.  When we expose the topsoil with blowers we are disturbing nature. By allowing the leaves to remain on the ground, we create a habitat for nature to take its course.

So, do we have a way of cleaning up our city and neighborhoods while preserving our habitat and sanity? I believe so. There are options among which is simply using a rake. We can pick up the trash, compost our leaves and use them as mulch.  

Minimally, blowers can be used at lower speeds to reduce the amount of toxins being spewed into our environment. Habitats for birds, insects and microorganisms can be spared for future generations.  

Solutions to the problems of leaf blowers don’t need to be drastic. Just being aware and considerate of our neighbors. Noise rules can be arranged at certain hours of the day with lower decibel levels from blowers to ensure a peaceful existence amongst neighbors. We all share this planet and I want to see a future that includes natural habitats for every living thing to enjoy.