People at Portland State have begun to question the necessity of leaf blowers. This is evidenced by a Facebook group called the Anti-Leaf Blower Association, a growing number of people who find leaf blowers to be noisy and an unwarranted source of pollution.
Blowing disturbances across campus
People at Portland State have begun to question the necessity of leaf blowers. This is evidenced by a Facebook group called the Anti-Leaf Blower Association, a growing number of people who find leaf blowers to be noisy and an unwarranted source of pollution.
“[Cleaning up leaves this way is] ridiculous because they’re just going to get blown back by the wind,” said sophomore Paula Linte.
According to Stephen Shackman, a resource conservation specialist in the College of Urban and Public Affairs, leaf blowers do not have catalytic converters, meaning that they put out a greater amount of pollutants per gallon than any given motorized vehicle.
Electric leaf blowers—which are quieter and run on cleaner power—are available, but they may not work as quickly or as effectively as heavier-duty, gas-powered blowers.
During summer months, leaf blowers double as a sidewalk and street-cleaning aid. This means they kick up dust and grime, which can be directed at a bike lane, putting pedestrians and cyclists in the path of eye irritants and pollutants.
“You see lots of leaf blowers on campus and around the city, but it’s not apparent they are cleaning up leaves—it just looks like they are blowing them into the streets, and now the bike lanes are full of leaves and that’s dangerous,” said Tara Horn, a Regional Research Institute for Human Services employee.
Not only are the leaf piles in the bike lane dangerous, but they can also clump in gutters which can lead to flooding, creating a threat to drivers. Leaves in large quantities become a slipping hazard on sidewalks and in bicycle lanes. However, sidewalks don’t need to be completely leaf-free to be safe.
Shackman suggested that grounds crews use rakes and brooms most of the time, and leaf blowers only when necessary to help make Portland State a more sustainable environment.
“Sustainability is about mimicking natural systems,” said Shackman. “If you’re mimicking natural systems, you can’t have the same requirements for order. We have to question our standards for what is beautiful and orderly.”
Portland’s Bureau of Development Services released a list of approved leaf blowers on Aug. 28, which also noted that using a leaf blower is prohibited in the city before 7 a.m. and after 9 p.m. In residential areas, leaf blowers may only be used until 7 p.m.
This means that city or Portland State maintenance workers are permitted to use leaf blowers during classes or meetings, which is a distraction.
According to the official Web site for the City of Portland, www.portlandonline.com, more powerful (and louder) leaf blowers are allowed during winter months because of wet leaves, and the assumption that most people and businesses keep their windows closed during this time period.
