Belmont Will Phase Out Gas Leaf Blowers

 Air Quality, Environment, July/August 2023, Newsletter, Plants  Comments Off on Belmont Will Phase Out Gas Leaf Blowers
Jun 302023
 
Belmont Will Phase Out Gas Leaf Blowers

By Marina (Goreau) Atlas and Karen Cady-Pereira In recent years, Belmont residents have become acutely aware of the roar, fumes, and particulate dust emitted from two-stroke gas-powered leaf blowers. A new town policy will soon change the use of gas-powered leaf blowers that emit cancer-causing particulates, send out winds that can exceed Category 5 hurricanes, and stir up everything from road dust to pollen to particles left behind from Muffin and Fido’s morning walk. This policy is an important step to improve our relationship with lawns and encourage healthy landscapes that enhance our quality of life. From May 15 to [READ MORE]

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Leaf Blowers Damage Belmont’s Environment

 Air Quality, Newsletter, September 2021  Comments Off on Leaf Blowers Damage Belmont’s Environment
Aug 232021
 
Leaf Blowers Damage Belmont’s Environment

By Barry N. Kaye and Brian Kopperl Have you ever been in your backyard on a beautiful day when the noise of the leaf blowers next door was so loud that you could not have a quiet conversation, you were dodging the flying debris, and the smell was enough to make you go indoors? Most of us agree that leaf blowers are annoying, but some of us may not know just how harmful they really are.    Gas-powered leaf blowers typically have noise levels of 80 decibels (dB) or higher, which the Centers for Disease Control states can damage hearing. [READ MORE]

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Help Belmont Students Breathe Easier

 Air Quality, Newsletter, September 2021  Comments Off on Help Belmont Students Breathe Easier
Aug 232021
 
Help Belmont Students Breathe Easier

By Erika Roberts So many of us are delighted the kids are in school full-time this fall. I for one will be skipping them hand-in-hand down the sidewalk on their first day back, even if my first and fourth graders are dying of embarrassment. The only part of the academic year that I dread happens daily during arrival and dismissal: dozens upon dozens of vehicles running their engines while parked as the drivers wait to pick up or drop off students.  With everything we have done to keep our children protected during a global pandemic, from remote learning to wearing [READ MORE]

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