Indeed, Edmunds estimated that some gas leaf- blowers generate 23 times the carbon dioxide of the Raptor and 300 times more non-methane hydrocarbons. Both contribute to climate change and harm public health. Worse yet, gas-powered leaf blowers also emit nitrous oxide.
Gas-powered lawn equipment like leaf blowers and lawn mowers pollute a lot more than you might think. They pump out millions of tons of carbon dioxide each year, the primary driver of climate change.
According to the report, estimates from the California Air Resources Board show that using a commercial leaf blower for one hour produces as much smog-forming pollution as driving 1,100 miles in a car. For a commercial lawn mower, just one hour produces as much smog-forming pollution as driving 300 miles in a car.
Overall, raking and sweeping leaves is a more efficient way to clean sidewalks and streets than using a leaf blower because it eliminates the need for fuel consumption and noise pollution.
Leaf blowers circulate allergens, toxins, pollutants like herbicides and pesticides, and pathogens into the air, along with dust. Leaf mold can also make asthma worse. The American Lung Association recommends that everyone avoid leaf blowers due to the toxic dust they create.
The high-decibel noise pollution of a gas-powered leaf blower is not just obnoxious and disruptive; it can actually cause tinnitus and hearing loss for the workers who use them (or anyone who is close to one for a full hour).
As you engage your leaf blower, small particles of debris and dust will start to move around. These can easily make their way into your eye, which can be quite painful! Be sure to wear safety goggles to keep these irritants out. Next, wear a face mask.
Leave the leaves, or move them just a bit
Leaves are great for soil quality: they can suppress weeds, retain moisture, and boost nutrition. And perennial plants appreciate the extra insulation through the winter, too!
Plan on mowing leaves instead of raking as part of your regular fall lawn maintenance. Start as soon as leaves begin to fall. Mowing a few leaves is simpler than mowing a lot, and dry leaves mulch better than wet ones.
Most of the time, however, you'll be doing your garden more harm than good by exceeding recommended speeds: rocks and dirt flying everywhere, destroyed grass and tears of dread. Treat leaf blowing the same way you would any other garden job. Take your time and do it right; Your lawn will appreciate the effort.
Roughly 25 pounds of CO2 are emitted per gallon of gasoline burned14, which means nearly 15 Million Tons of CO2 are emitted per year for lawn maintenance. Backpack style leaf blowers typically consume . 43 gallons of fuel per hour of operation15. This translates to 11lbs of CO2 per hour of use.
Still, planes remain among the most polluting means of transport, together with cars. On a journey of, for example, 500 hundred kilometers, a plane pollutes 10 to 50 times more than a high-speed electric train and 5 to 10 times more than a bus.
But when you look more closely, electric is the clear winner. That's because while gas models as a group do well in a few important tests, on average, there are in each instance also at least a few electric leaf blowers that match or beat that performance.
Distilling the above results, the four-stroke Ryobi leaf blower kicked out 6.8 times more NOx, 13.5 times more CO and more than 36 times more NMHC than the Raptor. The two-stroke leaf blower was worse still, generating 23 times the CO and nearly 300 times more NMHC than the crew cab pickup.
Did you know that every time you mow your lawn, you are contributing to air pollution? According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), one hour operating a new gasoline lawn mower emits the same amount of volatile organic compounds and nitrogen oxide driving a new car 45 miles.
They fail to work in humid conditions and the high speed of fan is not comfortable. An air blower sometimes fails to work in poor ventilation. Air blowers are not as efficient and powerful as Air Conditioner Units. They are noisy and generally not recommended for the people suffering from Asthma.
If you have trees dropping leaves on your lawn grass, in many cases there is no need to incur blisters by raking them up. Leaves have nutrients, which can be recycled into your lawn.
While whole leaves take a longer time to break down (about two to three years), cut up leaves decompose faster (about one year) and can provide plenty of nutrients for the soil. You can use whole and/or chopped leaves in gardens and flower beds as mulch.
Here are just some of the potential implications if you don't rake the leaves on your lawn: Create a fungal disease on your lawn. Block oxygen and sunlight from your lawn. Cause a slip hazard.
Leaves can smother your lawn and eventually kill it.
This can quickly kill your lawn if the leaves are not picked up for several weeks and create a breeding ground for certain insects and pests. As the leaves begin to rot, there is also an increased chance for fungus and mold growth.
Excessive leaf matter on your lawn going into winter is bad for several reasons. First, it will smother the grass and if not removed very soon in the spring it will inhibit growth. Second, it can promote the snow mold diseases. And finally, turf damage from critters (voles, mice) can be more extensive in the spring.
Beyond butterflies, bumble bees also rely on leaf litter for protection. At the end of summer, mated queen bumble bees burrow only an inch or two into the earth to hibernate for winter. An extra thick layer of leaves is welcome protection from the elements.
Use nozzle attachments to reach high places. Do not use a leaf blower if you are tired or sick, taking medication, or if you have used drugs or alcohol.
Particulate matter: Blowers emit particulates that can lodge deep inside the lungs, causing or exacerbating asthma and other respiratory problems and increasing the risks of myocardial infarction, stroke, arrhythmia and heart failure.
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