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]

Share

Healthy Lawns Works to Limit Leaf Blowers

 Air Quality, Environment, March/April 2022, Newsletter  Comments Off on Healthy Lawns Works to Limit Leaf Blowers
Mar 032022
 
Healthy Lawns Works to Limit Leaf Blowers

By Barry Kaye, Dean Hickman, Ruth Smullin, and Thomas Nehrkorn Gasoline-powered leaf blowers are not only a nuisance to anyone trying to enjoy a peaceful time in their backyard or a neighborhood walk, but they also present real risks to human health, most significantly to the operators. These are detailed in previous BCF articles published on this subject (See “Leaf Blowers Damage Belmont’s Environment,” Belmont Citizens Forum Newsletter, September/October 2021.) The town is trying to address this issue.  Healthy Lawns Initiative Sustainable Belmont recently started hosting a Healthy Lawns Initiative to promote more environmentally sustainable lawn care practices. Currently, we [READ MORE]

Share

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]

Share

Leaf Blowers Damage Environment and Health

 Air Quality, Environment, July-August 2020, Newsletter, Plants  Comments Off on Leaf Blowers Damage Environment and Health
Jun 302020
 
Leaf Blowers Damage Environment and Health

By Ian L. Todreas Each spring and fall, dozens of landscaping companies dispatch teams to yards throughout Belmont to cut, trim, mow, rake, and blow hedges, bushes, lawns, and beds into coffee-table-magazine standard perfection. But at what cost? These services are not inexpensive. Moreover, their hidden costs are significant. Gasoline-powered lawn equipment, such as leaf blowers, lawnmowers, weed whackers, and hedge trimmers, are notorious for emitting proportionally vast amounts of pollution—and making a heck of a lot of noise. Leaf blowers, in particular, deserve a close look. Unlike many other gasoline-powered lawn tools, for the amount of time they are [READ MORE]

Share