Leaf Blowers are Evil!

There are few things I hate more than a leaf blower. They are loud, smelly, and potentially dangerous to your health.

In my mind, raking leaves in the fall is an enjoyable, peaceful event that marks the end of summer. The sound of the leaves and the rake moving over the ground, the crunch of the leaves when a child jumps into the pile, the smell of crispy fall air.

Using a leaf blower may be faster, but is it worth it?

All these are lost when you are holding a leaf blower. The electric ones pollute far less than the gasoline powered models (which can be 80 times more polluting than an automobile! See: http://www.epa.gov/ttn/chief/conference/ei15/session5/fitz.pdf).

Leaf blowers stir up settled dust, mold, and allergens settled on the soil, making these airborne can cause problems for people with asthma and allergies.

Also, leaf raking is great exercise for you.

Cheers,
Mark

Originally published on October 23, 2009