Peacetown Jonathan
09-17-2013, 01:45 AM
The PD ran an article today about Sonoma's efforts to ban gas powered leaf blowers (https://www.pressdemocrat.com/article/20130915/articles/130919680?title=Sonoma-residents-split-on-efforts-to-ban-leaf-blowers#page=1). The article included some interesting information and comments about Sebastopol's leaf blower regulation.
A few years ago, Shepherd Bliss and I started the Sebastopol Peaceful Air Effort (https://www.progressivesource.org/SebastopolPeacefulAirEffort/health_hazards.html)to regulate leaf blowers. Although we did not get an outright ban, Sebastopol's City Council, as a thoughtful compromise, did pass a noise ordinance which proved far more effective than I originally thought. In my view, it has been highly successful. It seems as though we have reduced the use of loud gas powered leaf blowers in our city by at least 90%. Our air is cleaner, and our city quieter. People who do use leaf blowers are more likely to use quiet electric ones, and those who use gas ones are more careful, considerate and responsible--they seem aware of the strict noise decibel limitation that our Council enacted. :thumbsup:
Most importantly Larry McLaughlin, our responsive new City Manager, has instructed city parks workers to stop using blowers in Sebastopol's city parks. Before our public outcry that created the noise ordinance and major change in city policy, Sebastopol's parks worker would blow toxic particulate matter off relatively clear walkways every week (leaves or no leaves), polluting the air that hundreds of small children walked through on their way to the schools in the park near my house. Here's the video I shot three years ago of the way that was:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=06bEWNvHpu8&feature=player_embedded
When we first proposed that the city park workers switch to rakes and brooms, we were warned that people would slip and fall on leaves that were not cleaned off our walkways. I notice that this has never actually happened, and there have been no complaints that I know of. Instead, our parks are quieter, and our air cleaner.
I am heartened to read that our Sonoma neighbors are working on regulating leaf blowers in their fair green city. The reward will be cleaner air, and an end to the agonizing, unnecessary noise of leaf blowers.:heart:
A few years ago, Shepherd Bliss and I started the Sebastopol Peaceful Air Effort (https://www.progressivesource.org/SebastopolPeacefulAirEffort/health_hazards.html)to regulate leaf blowers. Although we did not get an outright ban, Sebastopol's City Council, as a thoughtful compromise, did pass a noise ordinance which proved far more effective than I originally thought. In my view, it has been highly successful. It seems as though we have reduced the use of loud gas powered leaf blowers in our city by at least 90%. Our air is cleaner, and our city quieter. People who do use leaf blowers are more likely to use quiet electric ones, and those who use gas ones are more careful, considerate and responsible--they seem aware of the strict noise decibel limitation that our Council enacted. :thumbsup:
Most importantly Larry McLaughlin, our responsive new City Manager, has instructed city parks workers to stop using blowers in Sebastopol's city parks. Before our public outcry that created the noise ordinance and major change in city policy, Sebastopol's parks worker would blow toxic particulate matter off relatively clear walkways every week (leaves or no leaves), polluting the air that hundreds of small children walked through on their way to the schools in the park near my house. Here's the video I shot three years ago of the way that was:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=06bEWNvHpu8&feature=player_embedded
When we first proposed that the city park workers switch to rakes and brooms, we were warned that people would slip and fall on leaves that were not cleaned off our walkways. I notice that this has never actually happened, and there have been no complaints that I know of. Instead, our parks are quieter, and our air cleaner.
I am heartened to read that our Sonoma neighbors are working on regulating leaf blowers in their fair green city. The reward will be cleaner air, and an end to the agonizing, unnecessary noise of leaf blowers.:heart: