Our strategy is two-fold:
1. We are calling for legislation to ban noisy and polluting leaf blowing machines from being used in streets, public areas, near schools, hospitals or in private gardens/driveways anywhere in the UK.
2. We are asking gardeners not to use these antisocial machines and that those who employ them to hire only 'blower free' gardeners or insist their current gardeners desist from using them.
Why is this important?
There are several reasons why leaf blowing machines should be banned.
Firstly they are ridiculously loud. This causes distress, not only to people (babies, children, the sick, the elderly or anyone trying to work from or simply enjoy the peace and quiet of their homes) but also to pets and wildlife (birds, rabbits, hedgehogs and the creepy crawlies they eat). From a distance of 1ft, their 180-200mph jet stream can maim or kill insects, small animals like voles, hedgehogs, moles, dormice and grass snakes.
Secondly, leaf blowing machines needlessly blow dust into the atmosphere causing various problems for small children or those with allergies. They emit inordinate amounts of fumes - an air pollution risk that caused them to banned in Los Angeles and other cities.
Thirdly, blowers are not labour-saving. Research has shown raking leaves is just as simple to do. A tennis courts' worth in 10 minutes is quite a comfortable exercise, so there really is no need for these machines at all.
A lot of people don't know this but blowers are used all the year round. You may be at work all day and oblivious to the discomfort and distress they are causing in your neighbourhood. The use of loud blowing machines is inconsiderate, anti-social and detrimental to the quality of life of many citizens.
Until the late 1980s these highly inefficient, frankly, stupid machines were all but non-existent so it is possible to keep a tidy garden or forecourt without them. Please do your bit and sign this petition and if your gardener or gardening company does use a leaf blower, please insist they stop... or, if needs be, hire another gardener.
https://you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/asblow-campaign-to-outlaw-noisy-polluting-leaf-blowers
Replies
This came via a tweet:
Have we not had this discussion fairly recently? Personally they have their place, although ours doesn't come out very much.
Why don't we also get rid of petrol/electric lawnmowers while we're on... I mean we could cut grass with a sythe or sickle, or how about we give people a goat to help keep their grass short!
Blowers have their place and if used correctly (not full power) they can be very useful ans save a lot of work..
I think if they want quiet, they should move out of London :)
My blower is my favourite piece of kit, saves me loads of time.
Ah the good old phrase 'research has shown'...what research would that be then? Maybe there are some valid points against the over-use of leaf blowers but this petition is badly constructed, poorly researched and makes no real sense. It has had 100 signatures so far so don't think it will be getting debated in the Commons any time soon.
Blowers save customers money as they allow you to do your job much quicker and to a higher standard of finish. Trimming privet hedges for example - if you are cutting hedges alongside public footpaths and have to leave them spotless when done, it would take forever trying to get up every last leaf with a rake and brush. Backpack blower you can walk down the hedge line at walking pace and leave the paths absolutely spotless. Takes a few minutes. Far quicker and leaves a much cleaner finish for customers.
You could use the same arguments against anything - trees have been chopped down for centuries without chainsaws so there is no need for them...
I have also never leaf-blown a mole, hedgehog, vole, grass snake or dormouse from 1ft away!
Doesn't appear to be attracting too many signatures....
'just as quick to rake the leaves up' Why were blowers invented then? We don't use them just to make a load of noise. There are some situtations 100% where it isn't any faster (or even slower as you've got to chase the bits around). But they have their place.
Brilliant! I think James Mckay has probably covered it well but I will say this. They are noisy and I am very conscious of how much disturbance they cause the community so I welcome innovation. Calling for a ban with sensationalist vole murdering accusations as a justification is a rather one-dimensional solution. However if it advances the development of battery blowers then let them get on with it.
I've seen a similar rant about blowers in the Daily telegraph a few months ago........................ as in that article, it was full of extremely dubious "facts" and written by someone who had never used one.
This is just a rant from "Angry of Hampstead", just had a look at their Facebook page , it's hilarious. They're also very angry about their traditional Zebra crossing being replaced with a "stupid" (their words) pelican crossing. Can't really take them seriously I'm afraid.
I'd quite happily go blower free for a customer if they requested... but would they want to pay more £££ for the extra time to clear up manually ?
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