Shepherd
05-27-2010, 05:28 AM
Sebastopol's Leafblower Education Campaign is currently quietly seeking to educate the public about the dangers of this machine, as are citizens in many other municipalities around California and the US. Following is a report from small town Orinda in Contra Costa County. It includes a link to their coverage last night on Channel 7. They also have a DVD, brochures, and an online petition. They can be reached at Home (https://www.quietorinda.com).
There are currently efforts in Healdsburg and Ukiah to ban leafblowers. If you know of efforts elsewhere, especially in Sonoma County or the North Bay, please let me know. Or if you want to be on our email list, you can contact me at [email protected].
Shepherd Bliss
Laura Anthony called us mid-morning, wanting to do a report on Quiet Orinda for today's 6 p.m. newscast. We had little time to prepare; about 20 minutes later, the ABC 7 News Van was in our driveway! Laura was very nice, professional, and sincere.
Here's the link: East Bay town of Orinda fights to outlaw leaf blowers | abc7news.com (https://abclocal.go.com/kgo/story?section=news/local/east_bay&id=7464294)
The video of Peter was shot from our deck, looking south over Lake Cascade. Right on cue, almost as if it were prearranged, a backpacking leaf blower guy fires up his noise and dust bazooka! He's not next door, or three doors away- but way across Lake Cascade, about 1/4 mile away. Laura and her camerawoman fixated on the piercing siren noise, and the camera's lens zoomed wayyyy-in on the "offender" - and you can him see close-up. Again, the noise emanates almost 1400 feet away from us - but it's clearly audible, distracting, and annoying. We estimate the noise from that one blower "trespassed" onto 75 or more properties!
There is increasing media interest in the problem of Leaf Blower Pollution. Your humble husband-and-wife team is now asking for some "QO" volunteers who are willing to be contacted and interviewed by reporters. Last week we were interviewed by a newspaper reporter for an upcoming feature on noise pollution and its health effects; we expect the article to come out in mid-June.
So- email us with your "Yes- I'm willing and available" message, and perhaps your 15 minutes of fame is on the way!
Oh... one more thing... get moving, folks, on more signatures for the online (or paper) petitions!
Finally, over on Lamorinda's Alternative eNewspaper... (https://www.eastbaydaze.com), there's an article about a real gardener- one who uses hand tools and who eschews blowers - and eight Comments. Note the two comments from "Anonymous" and "R.R.", defenders of the blower. Useful, instructive, free opposition research!
Cheers,
Peter and Susan
There are currently efforts in Healdsburg and Ukiah to ban leafblowers. If you know of efforts elsewhere, especially in Sonoma County or the North Bay, please let me know. Or if you want to be on our email list, you can contact me at [email protected].
Shepherd Bliss
Laura Anthony called us mid-morning, wanting to do a report on Quiet Orinda for today's 6 p.m. newscast. We had little time to prepare; about 20 minutes later, the ABC 7 News Van was in our driveway! Laura was very nice, professional, and sincere.
Here's the link: East Bay town of Orinda fights to outlaw leaf blowers | abc7news.com (https://abclocal.go.com/kgo/story?section=news/local/east_bay&id=7464294)
The video of Peter was shot from our deck, looking south over Lake Cascade. Right on cue, almost as if it were prearranged, a backpacking leaf blower guy fires up his noise and dust bazooka! He's not next door, or three doors away- but way across Lake Cascade, about 1/4 mile away. Laura and her camerawoman fixated on the piercing siren noise, and the camera's lens zoomed wayyyy-in on the "offender" - and you can him see close-up. Again, the noise emanates almost 1400 feet away from us - but it's clearly audible, distracting, and annoying. We estimate the noise from that one blower "trespassed" onto 75 or more properties!
There is increasing media interest in the problem of Leaf Blower Pollution. Your humble husband-and-wife team is now asking for some "QO" volunteers who are willing to be contacted and interviewed by reporters. Last week we were interviewed by a newspaper reporter for an upcoming feature on noise pollution and its health effects; we expect the article to come out in mid-June.
So- email us with your "Yes- I'm willing and available" message, and perhaps your 15 minutes of fame is on the way!
Oh... one more thing... get moving, folks, on more signatures for the online (or paper) petitions!
Finally, over on Lamorinda's Alternative eNewspaper... (https://www.eastbaydaze.com), there's an article about a real gardener- one who uses hand tools and who eschews blowers - and eight Comments. Note the two comments from "Anonymous" and "R.R.", defenders of the blower. Useful, instructive, free opposition research!
Cheers,
Peter and Susan