Leaf Blowers

I took a walk this morning around the neighborhood next to ours. We live in a condo complex so when I go out for a walk or jog I like to go to the next development over because I feel the scenery is better. However, I was disappointed to see no less than seven different leafblowers in use. The scenery may have been okay but I couldn't hear the birds or smell the leaves because these loud, smelly machines were running all over the place.

Did you know that running a leaf blower for 30 minutes will put out more emissions than a car driving 2,000 miles? The exhaust contains high levels of hydrocarbons and oxides of nitrogen, which can lead to respiratory and other health problems in addition to smog and other environmental hazards.

So what should we do with all our leaves? Well, there's always the old fashioned rake. Like shoveling snow, raking leaves is a good workout. If you're not into the rake, or if you have back problems and don't want to hunch over for that long there is another option. Mow the leaves. Take out the lawnmower and run right over those leaves. They will break down faster and serve as compost for your lawn. Come spring you will have a beautiful green meadow for a yard. Want to be even greener? Use a manual hand mower.

Please help keep our walks healthy and serene.