Group forms to ban leaf blowers

When a ban on gas leaf blowers narrowly missed passing in 2013, many people lost hope that anything would change. This year they had another chance to speak up, Councilmembers listened, and the issue was reopened for consideration. Some residents formed Sonoma Neighbors Against Leaf Blowers (SNALB) to raise awareness about the health and environmental risks of blowers, and to collect signatures.

City guidelines are violated daily. Blowers operate outside designated hours, exceed allowable decibels, blow into the street or onto neighboring property, and are routinely used less than 50 feet from pedestrians and neighboring homes.

This “cheap” method of moving leaves and debris has hidden costs, including ill health effects from two-stroke engines’ emissions, from exposure to noise levels 15 times those defined as safe by the World Health Organization, and from dust clouds containing brake dust, pollen, mold, animal feces, fertilizers, and herbicides.

As blower bans gain momentum across the U.S., it is time to revisit the issue in Sonoma, which received two Fs and a D on the American Lung Association’s Report Card, including in the outdoor smoke-free air category.

SNALB’s online petition and Facebook page include articles about the threats posed by blowers — especially to children — and about successful bans in 21 California communities.

With new state-mandated water conservation, the era of lush green lawns will likely end. A new aesthetic, with less perfection and more respect for the natural world and its inhabitants, is inevitable. Alternatives include brooms, rakes, hand-powered sweepers, and simply leaving more leaves in place as water-saving mulch.

The success of the online and paper petitions testifies to the broad support for saying farewell to the ubiquitous blower once and for all. SNALB co-organizer Mara Lee Ebert, whose son was born with compromised lungs, says, “We can all tolerate a few leaves on the ground for the sake of healthy children.”

Sarah Ford
Sonoma Neighbors Against Leaf Blowers