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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.

#71

Post by Anechoic »

jdietrich wrote: post #41
superseeplus wrote: post #14

Earlier quoted context omitted.

But, it is possible to measure the intensity of sound and how much that contributes to hearing loss. CDC has a handy chart on the effects of noise here: https://www.cdc.gov/nceh/hearing_loss/what_noises_cause_hear... . The existence of other sources of noise loud enough to damage hearing does not preclude banning leaf blowers.

Sound pressure levels are dependent on distance. A leaf blower might expose you to 90dB if you're using it, but someone stood 10 metres away would only be exposed to 70dB, which is well below the threshold for damage.

exposed to 70dB, which is well below the threshold for damage.

70 dBA is at the threshold for hearing damage (65-70 dBA range). It's below the OSHA limit of 85 dBA, but that is not the threshold for hearing damage, it's the threshold for acceptable [0] hearing damage.

[0] where "acceptable" means that a person exposed to 85 dBA for an average of 40-hrs per week for 10 years can still understand conversational speech in an ideal environment.

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

#72

Post by ars »

iguy wrote: post #64
ars wrote: post #52

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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 d…

Do those need to be leaf-free? I mean I thought the point was lawns, with less labor than a rake. But on land far too steep for lawn, can't you just leave things alone? (I own exactly 2 pot-plants, FWIW.)

It's not too steep for a lawn though. (It's tough to mow, but not impossible.)

Plus even if you have flowers and such you don't want lots of leaves there.

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

#73

Post by sfopdxnonstop »

cjensen wrote: post #61
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.

Sure. But the issue is professional gardeners -- including those who just have a pickup truck and and a few dozen clients. It's not just "handle a job on a full charge" since they need to work all day. The Stihl backpack batteries help a lot, but it's still going to be a lot of investment for a guy who just takes care of lawns for a living.

Yeah it totally sucks when you were accustomed to externalizing your business costs onto others but now you have to pass those costs on to your customers. I mean sucks for the customers, not for you (you earn the same) or for the people no longer paying those costs (with their hearing loss).

Me? I don't employ anyone to blow my leaves so I'm a winner in this transaction.

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

#74

Post by dang »

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.

OK, we added gas power to the title above.

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

#75

Post by sfopdxnonstop »

MaxGabriel wrote: post #18
shiftpgdn wrote: post #10

For what it's worth a gas powered leaf blower puts out as much pollution in a day of work as a Ford Raptor will in 100,000 miles. Source: https://www.edmunds.com/car-reviews/features/emissions-test-...

They could just ban gas-powered leaf blowers to prevent that.

Found the guy who forms his opinions based on bare headlines.

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

#76

Post by AdrianB1 »

larrywright wrote: post #56
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.

The motorcycles in Europe have drastic noise limitations, most as on the same level with your average car while consuming less fuel and polluting less. No ban is needed here.

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

#77

Post by larrywright »

codingdave wrote: post #67
larrywright wrote: post #56

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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

Motorcycles do not have to be loud. Many riders believe that loud pipes make them safer, but I haven't seen data to back that up. I've owned bikes for years, commuted to work on them (when I've had office-based jobs), and mostly my neighbors are surprised to find out that I ride them, because I don't sit outside and rev them up in the mornings before leaving, or gun them up to high RPMs while leaving the neighborhood…

Really my objection is to the loud noise. If Harley Davidson makes a silent electric one, I'll rescind my call to ban them.

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

#78

Post by larrywright »

yjftsjthsd-h wrote: post #21
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.

> Using a leafblower is a sign of entitled loutishness. You were fine up until here. Insulting people for wanting to use an easier option isn't a great look.

Yeah, this is absolutely a selfish act. Completely ignoring that most, if not all, of your neighbors will be annoyed by the sound just because it's easier for you is the very definition of selfishness.

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

#79

Post by sfopdxnonstop »

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.

You're worried for all those people backpacking into remote wilderness to blow leaves.

Gotcha.

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

#80

Post by nraynaud »

cjensen wrote: post #61
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.

Sure. But the issue is professional gardeners -- including those who just have a pickup truck and and a few dozen clients. It's not just "handle a job on a full charge" since they need to work all day. The Stihl backpack batteries help a lot, but it's still going to be a lot of investment for a guy who just takes care of lawns for a living.

don't big truck have a power outlet from the engine? I think welders are plugged into the engine.

I'd share some concern about transition, in particular because I live in Arizona, but I guess things will be better in the long run.

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