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Debate: do local bans on gas leaf blowers actually help or just shift the problem?
I got into it with my neighbor last month who said my quiet electric blower still kicks up dust and pollen so what's the point. But the town data shows switching reduced local emissions by 18% in just 3 months. Has anyone else heard pushback on these bans and what do you think is the right call?
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stella_scott965m ago
Yeah @the_oliver nailed it about noise pollution being a real thing too. I had a neighbor who would run his gas blower at 7am on Saturdays and I swear it rattled my windows. He moved and the new guy uses electric and it's night and day. But here's the thing I noticed, my HOA tried to ban gas blowers last year and a bunch of people were furious because they said it would cost too much to replace their old machines. So the board compromised and gave people a two year window to switch out. That actually worked better than a straight ban because people felt like they had time to budget for it. The dust thing is just a side effect like keith274 said, it's not really about the blower type.
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My neighbor down the street, Bob, he's got a failing muffler on his truck that you can hear three blocks away, but he was the first to complain when the town banned gas blowers. That 18 percent number is solid, I've seen similar data from other towns where they tracked air quality around schools. @the_oliver hit it, people just want to keep their loud toys sometimes. The dust and pollen thing is a separate issue, that's just yard work in general.
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the_oliver1d ago
Man that data is pretty clear cut. 18 percent in 3 months is not nothing. People who complain about dust are just making excuses to keep their loud gas machines. Noise pollution is a real health issue too. Bans work when they are enforced properly.
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