[image from zapla.org]
I’ve never really understood the point of leaf blowers; often, when I see people using these, I wonder if the same work couldn’t be done more quickly with a rake. That, combined with the fact that many of these leaf blowers are gasoline-powered, makes me not like these blowers so much.
But the problem with these leaf blowers that most directly affects me is the noise. Today, as with most Saturdays, my neighbor’s gardener had his leaf blower on for a good half hour. Even when I close all the windows and doors, the noise is really quite difficult to ignore.
Which made me wonder — is this extreme level of noise pollution legal? After all, I really think if I played my music as loud as a leaf blower, cops would coming knocking on my door pretty fast.
So I did a lil research while trying to ignore the noise — and apparantly, leaf blowers are illegal in Santa Monica. Here’s Santa Monica Municipal Code 4.08.270:
Restrictions on leafblower operation.
(a) No person shall operate any motorized leafblower within the City.
(b) Any person violating this Section shall be guilty of an infraction, which shall be punishable by a fine not exceeding two hundred fifty dollars, or a misdemeanor, which shall be punishable by a fine not exceeding one thousand dollars per violation, or by imprisonment in the County Jail for a period not exceeding six months, or by both such fine and imprisonment. (Prior code § 4212; added by Ord. No. 1578CCS § 1, adopted 3/26/91; amended by Ord. No. 1813CCS § 2, adopted 9/12/95)
To report the problem, residents can either call 310.458.8491 or fill out this form.
So far, I’ve done neither — partly because the leaf blowing seems to have stopped for the day, and partly because I first want to figure out why these leaf blowers are so prevalent despite the fact that their use is technically illegal in Santa Monica and restricted in the city of Los Angeles. Is it simply lack of education about these laws? Or is there some larger sociological reason that gardeners are willing to risk the fines?
It’s some weird status thing. Logic alone dictates that they’re useless – you’re just redistributing to your neighbours. If everybody does it, we have a whole lot of noise for nothing…
Comment by Robert 'Groby' Blum — February 24, 2007 @ 3:58 pm
Growing up in the suburbs, my neighbors often used leaf blowers after mowing the lawn, but could understood the need to blow things around.
I always see these leaf blowers when I go to Orange County for work. All they do is blow the leaves to the street. I’m always biking by them and they get dust and exhaust all over the air. I’m glad they’re restricted in LA. I doubt they’re restricted in OC though.
Comment by jason — February 24, 2007 @ 3:59 pm
sorry, I mean to type “could not undertood” in above comment.
Comment by jason — February 24, 2007 @ 4:06 pm
There was an episode of Living With Ed where his green gardener was talking about this. Those gas leaf blowers apparently put out the same amount of pollution as 17 cars! He uses all electric equipment which in addition to being better for the environment are much much quieter. You can read about him here:
http://www.livingwithed.net/greenfriends.asp?CID=3
Comment by Bryan — February 24, 2007 @ 6:29 pm
Wow! 17 cars! A frightening figure. Okay — If the leaf blower’s running again next week, I’m calling it in –
Comment by Siel — February 25, 2007 @ 10:30 pm
With regard to usefulness. I have long had a negative opinion of leaf blowers. Our house has about 12 trees that drop leaves and other stuff at various times of year. I would dutifully take out the rake and then the brooom and clean up the stuff. It really is a *lot* of work. After spending several hours last month moving stuff around to cleanup the leaves, my wife convinced me to buy an electric blower. I haven’t actually needed it yet, but after my last raking experience, I’m am sure it will make a *big* difference – particularly when it comes to small bits that get caught in uneven concrete and leaves that fall in hard to rake beds. Interestingly most of the electric blowers are vaccuums as well as, and as noted are a lot quieter than gas blowers.
Comment by Nathan — February 26, 2007 @ 4:29 pm
The gardners that are hired by the landlords in my apartment complex use gas-powered leafblowers. They are amazingly frickin’ loud.
Anyway, I figured they were legal here, until I saw your post and followed the link to the city of LA info, where I found this handy number specifically for leaf blower complaints:
1-800-996-CITY
Gas-powered leaf blowers are indeed prohibited in LA. If you see or hear them near you, call this number. Pretending to be on a rotary phone gets you right to a real human being who will ask for your address, and the time and day of the leaf blowing. Then they send a violation notice to the owner and send an “inspector” if necessary.
I called today – although it was a little hard to hear the operator since there was a gas-powered leaf blower outside my window! ;) We’ll see what happens when they come back again. I imagine I’m going to have to call several times.
The silly thing is, in our little front walkway (we’re in attached bungalows – 4 facing each other), there are only three fruit trees! There are barely any leaves to blow! So pointless.
Comment by melissa — March 1, 2007 @ 1:10 pm
Lobbyists for noise abatement are evidently influencial in Santa Monica. In Orange County, the noise abatement lobby unfortunately doesn’t yet have as much influence. There’s lack of incentive for developers and homeowners to use landscaping tools with lower emissions. Maybe developers think they are saving a lot of dough on models with high emissions. If the noise abatement lobby could help increase the incentives, it would benefit all who are impacted by these devices, some of which have been said to approach one hundred decibels.
On a positive note I was pleased to notice a landscaper using a rake and bag in an adjoining office complex last week. I thanked him. Next week, I plan on sending a thank-you note to the facility manager.
On another note.. Last March, air quality officials in Los Angeles launched a leaf blower exchange. About three hundred people paid two hundred bucks each, to turn in their gas-powered models for quieter ones that retail almost five hundred dollars. Seems to be a good sign. The article was written by Susan Abrams at the L.A. Daily News.
Comment by Todd — March 31, 2007 @ 7:41 pm