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How a small group of activists got gas-powered leaf blowers banned in D.C.

theatlantic.com

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Re: How a small group of activists got gas-powered leaf blowers banned in D.C.

#51

Post by jonstewart »

beachy wrote: post #45
toomuchtodo wrote: post #39

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yard crews can also carry batteries and chargers for hand tools. I know because I’ve helped setup a trailer charging system, powered by solar, for a local landscaping contractor. The only tool they use that is fossil powered is a propane riding mower (which is clean burning). I am working on building them an electric riding mower with reclaimed Tesla modules from an S.

That's great! I'm thinking more of people hiking in to build e.g. remote huts.

I live in DC and am unaware of anyone here needing to pack gas-powered tools in order to build huts in the wilderness.

Re: How a small group of activists got gas-powered leaf blowers banned in D.C.

#52

Post by ars »

HarryHirsch wrote: post #8

What is wrong with using a rake to pick up leaves? Leafblowers are loud, dirty, they raise huge clouds of dust, they stink of gasoline, and at the end of the day, blowing leaves into a pile isn't even faster than raking them together. Using a leafblower is a sign of entitled loutishness.

A rake only works on grass. But if you have taller bushes and other types of plants it's pretty much impossible with anything else except a leafblower.

Also, good luck raking on the side a small, but steep, hill - you can't even stand on the hill without lots of pain and damaging the surface. But you can use a leafblower from the top.

i.e. just because you have a limited experience in the world, doesn't mean others do too.

Re: How a small group of activists got gas-powered leaf blowers banned in D.C.

#54

Post by [deleted] »

jdietrich wrote: post #46
beachy wrote: post #31

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If you're carrying your tool in to somewhere remote for a day's work, filthy old two stroke is the easiest, most energy dense power source. As opposed to a truck load of batteries.

4-stroke leaf blowers are readily available.

[deleted]

Re: How a small group of activists got gas-powered leaf blowers banned in D.C.

#56

Post by larrywright »

gerbilly wrote: post #5

Glorious day! I wish they would ban them where I live. I detest noise, but judging by the popularity of Harley's I must be in the minority.

If we could band together and get motorcyles banned I would be ecstatic. Loud mufflers of any kind, really.

Re: How a small group of activists got gas-powered leaf blowers banned in D.C.

#57

Post by lozenge »

mc32 wrote: post #2

Instead of outright banning them, why not require a strict maximum dB level rating (in other words as tested by an independent lab). Personally I’m in favor of limiting noise output rather than outright banning. Otherwise it’s tyrannical for a minority to tell the majority what they may and may not do.

It would amount to the same thing. The noise is an inherent part of the design of the two stroke engine.

Isn't the tyranny the leaf blowers creating noise for everybody around them?

Re: How a small group of activists got gas-powered leaf blowers banned in D.C.

#58

Post by Wowfunhappy »

jfk13 wrote: post #23
howard941 wrote: post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

We are in the minority but there are places where motorcycles aren't welcome. The trailer park I live in during the week is one of them. It's a pleasure to arrive home M-F to a pastoral environment where the smell of lemon blossoms accompanies the birds chirping, but then there's this shock when I go home to the mortgaged place on a golf course with daily lawn mowers, blowers, and straight piped Harleys. There could…

Either your weather must be a lot more predictable than ours, or you'd have to be fine with mowing in a downpour if it has to be done on a predetermined day.

I wonder if a simple "You can only mow on Mondays unless there's adverse weather conditions, in which case mow on Tuesday" could be effective.

Re: How a small group of activists got gas-powered leaf blowers banned in D.C.

#59

Post by nate_meurer »

adamswann wrote: post #22

The ban is on gas -powered leaf blowers. I’ve switched to all electric yard tools at home. No regrets; the tools are durable, can easily handle the whole job on a single charge, quiet enough that I feel comfortable letting my children assist (they can hear my instructions and generally what’s going on around them), and no gas engines to maintain.

Agreed. My Ego battery-powered leaf blower is one of my favorite tools. I use it to clean all around the outside of my house, especially the porches. In just a few minutes it will scour the dirt and cobwebs from every nook and crack, and it blows the dirt right out the thin outdoor carpet that covers my porch. It will clean my outdoor shelves of dust and grime, as long as I stand back far enough so that it doesn't take out my things on the shelves. I wear a dust mask.

I also have Ego's lawn mower and weed whacker. The mower is fucking amazing. It's so quiet that you often can't hear it inside the house, and easily powerful enough as long as I don't try to mow wet grass. I can do my entire ~3000 sq meter yard on two batteries, which take just a moment to switch out.

Same with the weed whacker. I have a second home in the mountains where I maintain the grounds solely with the weed whacker. I can throw it in my car with an extra battery or two, drive up there, and trim up the entire place in a couple hours. I feel like I'm living in the future.

Re: How a small group of activists got gas-powered leaf blowers banned in D.C.

#60

Post by mc32 »

muststopmyths wrote: post #4
mc32 wrote: post #2

Instead of outright banning them, why not require a strict maximum dB level rating (in other words as tested by an independent lab). Personally I’m in favor of limiting noise output rather than outright banning. Otherwise it’s tyrannical for a minority to tell the majority what they may and may not do.

>The acoustic study found that in a densely settled neighborhood, a gas-powered blower rated at, say, 75 decibels of noisiness can affect up to 15 times as many households as a battery-powered blower with the same 75-decibel rating.

The motor of engine is part of the noise, the other is the fans pushing air through, their speed and pitch affect noise levels too, so even an electric leaf blower can be loud and uncomfortable.
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