Arrrrrrgh.
Yes, I am a card-carrying leaf-blower hater. (Well, I would carry a card if someone issued them. I am considering founding a leaf blower-hating activist group. Perhaps WHALE? We Hate All Leaf-blower Elements.)
Our great-grandmothers (well, more likely our great-grandfathers, but that’s not the name of this blog) would have done this exact task – leaf gathering – via a method that is nearly silent, requires no gasoline and is more efficient. Namely, a rake for leaves in the yard or a broom for leaves in the street.
Leaf blowers throw mold, allergens and dust particles into the air at high velocities, potentially worsening health problems like asthma and lung irritation.
Using the leaf blower for an hour uses about 140 calories. In the same amount of time, raking can burn about 325 calories.
The initial investment in a rake ($25) is one-twentieth of the cost of buying a leaf-blower ($500). Not to mention the leaf-blower’s later need for gasoline or electricity.
So, if you use a leaf-blower, please stop. If you know someone who uses a leaf-blower, please show that person this blog or the U.S. News and World Report article. Together, we can be a mighty WHALE.
3 comments:
I think the majority of people investing in and using leaf-blowers are professional landscapers and lawn maintenance companies. Leafblowers are simply "faster" than rakes and require less physical energy on the part of the hired worker. As with most really despicable wastes of non-renewable resources, the dollar to be made appears to beat out Earth-consciousness and common sense.
Anon.: I agree with everything you said. I wish I didn't. It makes me so sad/angry to think about the physical health of the hired worker. Lungs, ears, back, knees -- all have to suffer so the company can earn a few more bucks. I know some cities have banned leaf blowers (http://www.noisepollution.org/quietnet/cqs/other.htm) and they get attacked for being elitist, but I like to think the cities are just trying to protect these landscaping workers who have limited options.
A WHALE of a good idea, Great-grandmother.
A fond memory of my childhood is watching my father rake the leaves into a big pile and then leaping on the pile when finished. I had to get the rake back out to remake the pile. If he'd done it with a leave blower I'd never have gotten away with it!
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