Dallas City Council committee looking into banning certain leaf blowers

[NJCher]

I think this is an interesting article because for one, it's Texas, although Dallas is one of the more liberal cities there, as I understand it. My brother used to live there, so I know a little about it from him.

I follow this issue fairly carefully and was surprised to learn that now around 100 cities have banned these hideous machines.

Here's what they are considering in Dallas:

Author: Jay Wallis (WFAA)
Published: 8:09 PM CST December 7, 2021
Updated: 8:09 PM CST December 7, 2021

DALLAS — A committee with the City of Dallas discussed the possibility of banning certain leaf blowers that run on gas.

The Dallas City Council's Environment and Sustainability Committee held a briefing Tuesday morning to outline the problems gas-powered leaf blowers are having on the environment and why banning them could help Dallas more quickly reduce its greenhouse gas emissions.

Dallas councilmember Paula Blackmon, chair of this committee, started the briefing and said the city is specifically looking to ban two-cycle leaf blowers. That means the equipment's engine requires lubricant (oil) to be mixed with the fuel (gasoline).

"Leaf blowers I don't think are going away," Blackmon said. "It's just we're looking at the two-cycle. Because they do come in four-cycle and they do come in electric." Four-cycle leaf blowers work similarly to a vehicle's engine, with gas going into a fuel tank and oil going into a crank. These are generally considered to be more fuel-efficient than two-cycle leaf blowers but they are not as powerful.

snip

https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/dallas-city-council-committee-looking-banning-certain-leaf-blowers/287-ba1ca41c-e58b-46e8-8db1-f2a2f8cdecf5

Second, they need to choose an option that stops the noise.

Last time I posted on this topic here, one of our posters stated that he/she uses the lawnmower to chop the leaves and just leaves them in the chopped state on the ground, where they contribute to the hummus layer. A blower or rake is used for the driveway and walkways.

I've watched a youtube video on the new Ego and it seems like a reasonable option for people who can't or don't want to rake.

Third, this solution evaluation done by Dallas does not address the fact that a monoculture (lawn) is a bad idea.

There are solutions to this problem, but it doesn't seem that the lawmakers have enough range of knowledge to devise them.

[jimfields33]

1. Some probably will just stop clearing the leaves or cut down the tree.

Some will buy an electric blower.

[Torchlight]

3. And many others, like me, will continue using a rake.

Less expensive, less noisy.

[ProfessorGAC]

6. I'm Getting An E Blower By Next Fall

I've had it with gummed up carburetors, noise, draining for the winter, etc. Local guy won't even fix leaf blowers, because he gets screamed at when the repair costs $100, and a new one cost $120. So, he started lowering the price for people who wouldn't buy new, and he made no money. Just quit accepting the work.
I've got an EGO lawn mower. Fantastic. When the battery was new, I could cut whole yard twice on a single charge.
After 5 years, it's about 1.5. Front & side street, backyard, then front & side street 5/6 days later.
Recharges in 45 minutes. Provides equivalent power to a 7HP gas motor.
WAY quieter than a gas mower. From my band days, I still have a dB meter. I tested my mower & the neighbor's Honda. Mine is 28dB lower on the loudness scale. Nearly 1/8th the noise level.
By next fall, I'm buying the same company's blower.

[Sinistrous]

2. I just wonder

how big a stake the various Dallas city council members have in the maker of the Eco blower.

[NJCher]

13. My guess is zero

The Ego is in huge demand. They are hard to get. I spoke with my hardware store owner who recently became a dealer. He doesn't even have one in stock and doesn't intend to. Why? Because people are walking in and plunking down around $300, sight unseen.

He says he doesn't have the space to display it anyway.

Also, I dealt with the city council of a town in NJ that banned leaf blowers and I learned that's not how these corporate entities (leaf blower companies) operate. In fact these big corporations are half asleep. The CEO of one of them lived right in the town where we got the ban and they didn't do a thing about our ordinance until after it was passed, when they hired lawyers to threaten the town with expensive lawsuits. Then they forced the town to go to a referendem. I can't recall how much that cost, but only at that point did this manufacturer spend any money to battle us. They paid people to stand out on street corners to get signatures so they could stage the referendem and also lie about the impact of the ordinance.

They lost.

[Amishman]

4. Two cycle small engines are more powerful and lighter than an equivalent 4 cycle

while this might not make a difference in a place like Dallas, where someone is unlikely to have a large area with a lot of tree nearby, it is not a reasonable proposal for many other places

[Torchlight]

12. Dallas ranks fifth for lot size among the country's top 20 biggest cities

with median lot size of over 8000 square feet. Suburbs around Dallas use lot size as a prime selling point along with big stands (relative to suburbs) of elm and oak.

[NJCher]

14. so how would you reduce the air pollution they put out?

eom

[Amishman]

16. at this time, nothing. There is not a practical solution with current technology

If you have a large area with a lot of leaves, a two cycle leaf blower is by far the most effective solution. I know this first hand.

besides, are they really that large a source of pollution? This seems needlessly antagonistic for the likely net benefit.

besides direct bans are usually poor regulatory methods, and are often ineffective - especially at a local level.

If they really want to make a positive environmental impact in their city, pass a 'luxury home' tax on residential property sales that are 2x the median price for the city. use the proceeds to subsidize replacement of oil heat with high efficiency heat pumps for low income households. Tax the rich, give to the poor, and help people go green all at the same time.

[NJCher]

18. yes, there is a practical solution

that is the one I pointed out in my OP, about leaving the clippings on the ground after the lawn has been mowed. If you know anything about soil nourishment, that is what should be done. In fact it is ignorant to do otherwise. Why decrease the humus layer, which is what you do when you blow leaves away? Nature has a system: we need to respect it and work with it instead of thinking the outdoors is like the indoors and treating our lawns like they are carpets.

Another solution--the best one, in my opinion, is to get over the lawn. It is a monoculture and perhaps you're not aware of it, but monocultures are one reason for Covid. See an article in The Nation that appeared a few months ago. Scientifically proven.

You say the two cycle leafblower is the most effective solution, but experts say it is an outmoded technology:

The two-stroke engine found in most consumer gas-powered leaf blowers is an outmoded technology. Unlike larger, heavier engines, a two-stroke engine combines oil and gas in a single chamber, which gives the machine more power while remaining light enough to carry. That design also means that it is very loud, and that as much as a third of the fuel is spewed into the air as unburned aerosol.

https://sustainability.wustl.edu/rethinking-lawn-equipment-2/

And you ask " are they really that large a source of pollution?"

Yes, they are. From the article linked above:

A 2011 study showed that a leaf blower emits nearly 300 times the amount of air pollutants as a pickup truck. Similarly, a 2001 study showed that one hour using a gas-powered lawn mower is equivalent to driving a car 100 miles.

Additional information about how much pollution they put out is in this article, but just about every state DEP has studies showing this.

[Amishman]

21. mowing over the clippings isn't viable if you have actual forest around

live downwind of a couple dozen acres of dense forest and you'll understand. If I just mowed them, I'd bury and smother the grass from the resulting depth.

Most effective in terms of power to weight when dealing with a small displacement, definitely not fuel efficiency.

Pollution you may have a point, I was thinking more in terms of overall carbon output.

My point still stands, while some might be able to get away with other devices, a ban on a larger scale would be a poor idea.

Battery powered ones also do not cut it when you have a lot of leaves and a lot of area, just not enough power to move a huge pile and would require an absurd number of spare batteries to do the job

[Liberal In Texas]

28. Most of us don't live in the middle of a dense forest. This is to be a CITY ordinance.

We live in the middle of a dense CITY.

Depending which model of the Ego blower you get they run over an hour to about an hour and a half on a charge. The batteries take about an hour to recharge. If you really need the turbo setting, which is more powerful and 4 times quieter than a gas blower they'll run about 15 minutes on a charge. Having 2 batteries isn't a real inconvenience.

I guess if that isn't good enough if you live in the middle of a forest, then use your noisy gas blower and annoy the deer.

[NJCher]

32. you'll have to make some changes

Your point doesn't stand because it's based on an erroneous assumption and that is that you have to remove all those leaves because "I'd bury and smother the grass from the resulting depth". The wind and the forces of nature move the leaves and break them down. I live downwind of dense forest so I know that for a fact.

Furthermore, your assertion about smothering lawn is something we clean air and quiet activists hear all the time. If you ever try that line out at a city council meeting, prepare to be laughed at. You will not be taken seriously.

Lesson One for you is to learn that leaves are not your enemy. They are your friend and the friend of your property, which you are caring for in an anally retentive way. Do you enjoy putting out pounds of pollution? Do you enjoy being out there for hours and hours using smelly, noisy machines? Do you enjoy robbing your property's trees and bushes of nourishment? Do you enjoy torturing your neighbors? I'm relatively certain that lost thought has never even occurred to you, has it?

When people come back to my property (not on a public street), they are amazed. They say they have never seen trees and bushes with leaves so large. Well, now why is that? It's because worms love the leaves and there are skazillions of worms (red wigglers) all over my property. That is because I leave the leaves for the worms.

In contrast, my neighbor across the private road comes over to my property, bitterly complaining about how the previous owner of the property did something to scare off the worms. He has no worms. I know the previous owner and I know they were completely organic. What does he do wrong? He has a landscaping company come in and blow all the leaves off the property and transport them down to the street. I'd tell him but he's a know-it-all and wouldn't listen anyway. Instead I just smile and, trowel in hand, dig into my soil which is swarming with worms and say, "So sorry. Glad I don't have your problem."

Worm compost is the creme de la creme of composts. Worms love fallen leaves.

Meanwhile, my neighbor buys compost and mulch in bags. Costs him a fortune in product and labor.

I saw an HGTV show that featured a property where the leaves had been carted away for a few decades. Needless to say, the trees and bushes looked straggly and unhealthy. The property was for sale and to get it sold, they had to replace plantings and bring in truckloads of compost and mulch. The additional cost was $40,000 and in today's dollars, would probably be more than $60k.

[Vinca]

5. Don't they make rechargeable electric ones now? My husband bought an electric

chainsaw that will cut a tree no problem, an electric string trimmer and an electric something-or-other that cuts brush. Next spring we're going to get an electric lawn mower. I have an electric Mantis rototiller for my garden (needs a cord so I've got to check and see if they make a rechargeable one now) and it's far quieter than the old gas-powered one. I hate those noisy leaf blowers.

[ProfessorGAC]

7. See Post 6

They do indeed make powerful, light battery blowers.

[Vinca]

9. Oops. I guess I scanned the post too quickly. Thanks.

[dalton99a]

8. That shit should be banned nationwide.

California has already enacted a statewide ban.

[Skittles]

10. as a long-time night worker

I WISH THEY WOULD BAN THEM ALL

[Whiskeytide]

11. About 15 years ago, while (for the zillionth time) trying to get my ...

… old weed eater to crank, I had an epiphany. I tossed it in the shed and went to Lowe’s. Bought a 100 ft extension cord and a $30 electric Black and Decker weed trimmer. While I was looking at that, I saw a $40 electric Black and Decker blower/leaf vac and bought that too. All of it cost me less than the old Craftsman weed eater I had, once too often, spent an hour trying to nurse the engine to life.

Both of those yard tools last at least 3 seasons, and when they quit, I toss them and simply get a new one. Still in the $30-40 range.

I’ve saved immeasurably on gas, noise, time, environmental impact and blood pressure meds.

[MichMan]

15. How are they planning on enforcement?

Neighbor complaints? Routine patrols looking for them?

What happens when busybody neighbor calls police for someone using one and it turns out to be a legal 4 stroke? Any repercussions for calling the police inappropriately?

[Liberal In Texas]

20. I'm guessing enforced by Code Compliance.

We have these code inspectors who spot violations and write tickets. Things like cars parked too far over the sidewalk, alleyway not kept clear (my pet peeve), trash barrels left out past when they're supposed to be brought back in, bulky trash not out on the curb on the right days -- things like that. Also, people can call 311 and report things and they will eventually get around to looking into it.

With the lawn services, they're just everywhere and it wouldn't take long to start citing the ones not adhering to the ordinance.

[MichMan]

24. They are not banning all of them, just 2 stroke versions

Last edited Thu Dec 9, 2021, 01:27 AM - Edit history (1)

They would have to first catch people using one, and then examine it to determine if it was a 2 stroke or 4 stroke.

All the other violations you mentioned can be easily seen by driving by. Someone calls 311 and reports a leaf blower is being used, and by the time someone gets around to checking, the potential violator isn't using it at the time.

"Yes, ma'am, someone reported you were using a 2 stroke leaf blower " Homeowner says "I Don't know what you are talking about; I don't have one"

[Mr.Bill]

22. I'm thinking since it's Texas,

it will probably be legal to just shoot anyone using one.

[llmart]

17. I've been hoping they'd ban these a long time ago.

Like another Du'er posted, I use a rake. Noise pollution is a thing also, not just air pollution.

Where did we ever get the notion that every gold-darned leaf off a tree needs to be blown away? I live in a condo sub with lawn service and they are in our sub 8-9 hours a day once a week, spring, summer and fall with those blasted things. The crew likes to blow the shrub and flower beds out until all the mulch is gone. Don't people understand that leaves over the roots of many plants and around the base are good protection over winter?

[Liberal In Texas]

19. I, for one, would like council to go even more aggressive and ban all gas leaf blowers.

The lawn service guys around here (who feel they have to mow and blow once a week in rain or shine whether the lawn needs it or not) use these blowers strapped to their backs that I swear are as loud as chain saws. I would love to see this ended.

We don't use a lawn service. We have an Ego mower and a couple of small corded electric leaf blowers to clear the drive and walks. We don't pick up the leaves, the Ego mulches them in to what grass we have. We considered the Ego leaf blower with a battery that is interchangeable with the mower, but it makes the blower pretty heavy.

This is a pretty progressive city (Dallas), especially the area where I live and many people have converted traditional lawns to xeriscape or in our case my wife has planted large beds and areas of prairie-type grasses and flowers which aid in helping out the birds and butterflies and other fauna. Our grass areas are fairly small.

Still there are a lot of lawns and a lot of lawn service guys. It seems lawn service is pretty much the exclusive bailiwick of Hispanic men and having your grass cut once a week is pretty cheap so there is little actual incentive to do alternatives to lawns.

[LeftInTX]

23. You know the Texas lege will do the same thing that they did to the plastic bag bans....

[MichMan]

25. Yep, let's have white Karen's calling the police on Hispanic men working for a living

to see if they are using a 2 stroke vs a 4 stroke leaf blower. What could go wrong there ?

[Hassin Bin Sober]

26. Does that one time of week really bother you that much?

The neighbors on either side me use lawn services (which I think is because they have teenage kids but that’s a different subject).

They are in and out in minutes and they do it during work hours. I guess I could be annoyed but they are too fast for me.

[Liberal In Texas]

27. It's more than once a week. Because there is more than one yard.

Lots are 50 feet wide here so one gets to hear the leaf blowers (which are not as loud as the mowers) from at least 2 houses on the left and 2 on the right. Then across the street 3 more. And they all use different services and they all come on different days. The blowers run for at least a half hour. Yes, it's annoying.

[JCMach1]

29. Unintended consequences, lawn people will plug electrics into portable generators

... watch this space

[NJCher]

31. The CA law

Bans the use of generators by 2028.

[sl8]

37. 2024, or when the board determines it's feasible, whichever is later.

Last edited Fri Dec 10, 2021, 06:27 PM - Edit history (1)

There seem to be a few "ifs" in the law.

https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billTextClient.xhtml?bill_id=202120220AB1346

[NJCher]

38. I hope it's 2024!

eom

[Tree Lady]

30. I hate them because my allergies go crazy

As I try to walk past someone using one.

[OriginalGeek]

33. I mm 58 years old

I have lived in houses I own for more than 37 years and I have never once blown a leaf.

was I supposed to be doing that?

[ForgedCrank]

34. I think this may be ok for

people who live in the city and have tiny lots and very few trees. But, if you live anywhere else, this isn't going to work at all.
Cleaning up a few acres isn't a small task, and it especially wont work with an electric unit. 4 cycle engines are also twice as heavy, so good luck with that strapped to your back for 4-5 hours.
Hopefully lawmakers are smart about this and think it through without making a blanket rule. City laws are one thing, let's just hope it doesn't spread to the state level.

[NJCher]

35. see post 32

We got along just fine before leaf blowers and we'll get along fine without cleaning up large parcels of land with them. As it turns out, all that cleaning was robbing soil of its nutrients. It was a poor land practice that evolved with the development of these polluting machines.

[ForgedCrank]

36. Theres a little bit more to it than that.

I'm not interested in nutrient rich soil in this case. Its the lawn that surrounds my home. Grooming it keep insects and rodents down, snakes, and a lot of other stuff away from my house. I also don't want a mudhole around my home, and leaving that bulk of leaves, even mulched, will kill it. I can cut all the trees down so it's barren, or I can leave them and clean up after them. I choose the latter.
Everyone gets to make their own choices, mine is to keep it cleared and planted so the place doesn't look like an 18th century mud hut. Blanket banning this stuff is silly, borderline ridiculous for rural use. I don't even have close enough neighbors to bother with the noise.

[NJCher]

39. I'm sure you have nothing to worry about

They never pass very stringent laws.

However, if you have a lot of moisture around the base of your home (mudhole), it might be a good idea to look into some type of drainage system.

[ForgedCrank]

40. Well, I actually do

have something to worry about. This happened statewide in California recently. And this is my issue with these blanket laws: it doesn't consider use at all.