Leaf Blowers

Yesterday I took some time and wrote down my thoughts about the leaf blower ban proposed in Town Meeting. Last Wednesday we debated the article, and we would be voting on it at Monday night's Town Meeting session.

I thought I might make this post yesterday, before Town Meeting, but I wanted to get what I learned about unaccounted water posted, and I thought this might make more sense after the vote took place anyway.

Of course yesterday I was fairly certain the leaf blower ban was not going to pass!

As I mention in this post, the proponents made some really good arguments. They had me changing my mind on this issue several times. I also suspect they got some help from some of the opponents, as I'll admit I was tempted to change my vote yet again last night, and support the ban, after hearing some of the arguments made against it.

We passed a ban on leaf blowers in Arlington, by a vote of 95 to 85. I voted against the ban, but as I think is clear if you read what I had to say before the vote below, I don't feel too bad about losing this one.

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Here's what I wrote yesterday morning, before the vote was taken last night:

One of the things that surprises me most about being an elected member of a legislative body, is how often I’m tempted to change my mind about the votes I make. I guess I thought this would be more an exception to the norm than it has been. Good arguments are presented that run counter to how I thought, and I find myself won over to the other side of something.

That has almost happened with the debate on banning leaf blowers in town. Almost, but not quite. I still feel it is going too far at this point to ban the use of leaf blowers.

I have though seen examples where leaf blowers have been used irresponsibly, and in a manner that - were it the norm - would have me in favor of a ban.

Also, the science I think is starting to develop, that may result in us concluding at a future date that there is no good reason to allow the use of these machines.

We aren’t quite there yet, though. The science behind the air pollution is still a mix between the engine emissions - that apply to other devices such as weed-eaters, edgers, lawn mowers, snow blowers, and etc., and the particulate matter kicked up specifically by leaf blowers.

For the latter, it depends on the harmful materials being present universally, or near enough so, in all areas in town. We haven’t been given evidence of that yet. Nor have we been given sufficient evidence that the use of a leaf blower must, necessarily, transmit pollutants beyond a persons own property.

We’ve been shown examples where they certainly have been, but we haven’t been shown that this cannot be solved by more responsible use of the machines without resorting to a full ban.

To use a crude analogy: cars can be used in a very harmful manner. But we have not resorted to banning them; rather we insist they be used responsibly. Ditto for guns, and probably a number of other things.

When I used to work to pass clean indoor air laws (smoking-bans), we made the point that there was "no safe limit" on secondhand smoke. The same claim cannot (yet) be made about the use of leaf blowers.

However, as advocates continue to build awareness about the potential harms of these machines, we may start to see more science. A day may come fairly soon when the case against leaf blowers is sufficient to justify a ban.

My advice to proponents of a ban in the meantime: work to educate town residents on this issue.

I found many of your arguments and examples fairly convincing. So I approached some of my neighbors, specifically some that I thought would be more predisposed to supporting a ban, and asked them what they thought.

The feedback I received was that a ban was going a bit too far. The people I spoke with were not aware of all the information proponents have provided during debate at Town Meeting. They are environmentally conscious individuals, who go out of their way already to live in a manner they feel is environmentally responsible.

Before we can get the town to accept a ban (whether we pass a bylaw or not), these are the sort of people who need to believe it is the right thing to do. A ban does not regulate itself. It depends on buy-in from the community both to be observed and to be enforced.

Again, some of the science presented by proponents is working toward justification of a specific ban on leaf blowers.

Definitely some of the shown examples of how some are using these machines is wrong, and should be stopped.

I recommend that ban proponents educate before they legislate.

I leave you with a list of arguments made by proponents. I suspect this issue may return again someday.

• The noise from gas-powered leaf blowers is not just an inconvenience, it is physically harmful. Excess noise causes increased stress levels, anxiety, high blood pressure and has been linked to health problems including: hypertension, depression, premature birth and headaches.
• Noise from gas-powered leaf blowers detracts from the peace and quiet of our residential neighborhoods and erodes property values.
• The operation of a gas-powered leaf blower adversely affects the quality of life and health of the surrounding neighbors. It is similar to second-hand smoke.
• Leaf blowers are unnecessary. They were invented in the 1970's. Leaves have been around much longer.
• Gas-powered leaf blowers create dust clouds that carry toxins including: animal feces, mold, spores, lead, carcinogens, carbon, asbestos and other particulates that remain in the air for days. These particulates are a serious health threat for young children, pregnant women and seniors. It can cause lung ailments, trigger asthma and cause cancer and a host of other maladies. The dust seeps into neighbors homes, contaminates local vegetable gardens, lands on swing sets, window sills and is inhaled and injested by neighbors, landscape crews and homeowners.
• In the more than 400 communities across the country where leaf blowers have been banned or restricted, landscaping companies have not gone out of business or significantly increased their prices. In Orange County, California a Grand Jury dismissed arguments that it will cost more to have workers use rakes and brooms, and concluded that the health hazards citizens are exposed to far outweigh any questionable economic benefits.
• Arlington is proud of its status as a Green Community. Condoning the use of gas powered leaf blowers which have been proved to be bad for the enviroment and a health hazard is contrary to what a Green Community stands for.
• Protect the quality of life and health in Arlington. Take back your yard, your neighborhood and your town. Vote to support Article #25.