08 Apr EcoTip #1 – Put Away the Leaf Blower and Get Out the Rake and Broom

Simplify your life this spring by moving back to the low-tech way of cleaning up your outdoor areas. You’ll save money, avoid polluting the air you breathe, and turn an unhealthy activity into some good healthy exercise. Small gasoline engines, like the gasoline powered leaf blower, use non-renewable fuel and create as much as 20 percent of the air pollution in cities, particularly nitrogen oxide and particulate matter. In addition to toxic emissions from the gasoline powered engines, leaf blower send dust and other forms of particulate matter into the air. The particles of debris can aggravate allergies and other respiratory problems. The noise pollution from leaf blowers is another reason to pick up a rake and a broom. A blower that measures 75 decibels at 50 feet can reach up to 100 decibels at the operator’s ear. You can get some exercise and fresh air instead of polluted air when you get out the rake and broom. It’s just as fast as the motor-powered leaf blower, and it is a more effective way to clean up outdoor areas.