When your city has a “sustainability director” on the payroll, you can only guess what comes next.
How about a ban on gas leaf blowers?
In this case, it was South Portland, Maine, where a taxpayer backlash to the proposal finally killed it.
In the face of widespread resident opposition, the council reversed its planned ban on blowers.
But councilors said the public parks department will have to phase out its gas blowers. So Nanny lives.
“Our leaders aren’t the least bit concerned about reducing spending, cutting taxes, or generating revenue, but instead, gas leaf blowers,” Bud Munson of South Portland said before the vote went his way.
“It’s government overreach,” said South Portland’s David Gaudreau.
“The city should get rid of the sustainability department,” quipped Frank Smith.
But if you are a municipal “sustainability director” you’re emitting a different view.
“One hour of gas-powered leaf blower use emits the same air pollution as driving 1,100 miles,” said Julie Rosenbach, South Portland’s “sustainability director” said in her failed bid to ban blowers.
Facing claims of increasing noise and air pollution from blower haters, blue states and cities in the U.S have led the campaign to enact regulations on the use of gas-powered leaf blowers.
Left-leaning California, meanwhile, became the first state to enact a statewide prohibition not only on gas blowers but also on mowers and weed whackers — a proposal that has also been floated in South Portland.
<span class="dsq-postid" data-dsqidentifier="35584 https://www.themainewire.com/?p=35584">9 Comments
LMAO
If you think you’re going to blow leaves with a battery powered “ leaf “ blower.
Get a truck bed FULL of batteries or plan to spend a week doing what you used to do in a day .
Hey South Portland Officials. What about banning gas powered chain saws next?
“One hour of gas-powered leaf blower use emits the same air pollution as driving 1,100 miles,” said Julie Rosenbach
PROVE IT!
SoPo becoming quite the liberal den. Portland libs moving into the burbs.
Electric Battery Powered Leaf Blowers SUCK .
I know ….I own two .
Too funny .
If you paid fifty bucks to get your lawn cleaned last fall. it would cost you seventy five next fall if the town council idiots commanded that you use all battery powered tools .
Gas powered outdoor tools are NOT an Existential Threat to the Planet …..get over it .
What we NEED to ban is those big black plastic bags that they stuff all the leaves into . THEY are the real menace . LOL
Here’s one for ya. Let’s, go back to the 1800’s when the streets were swept. hmmmm.. Office of New Americans, streets need to be hand swept…mmmmm Naw, I’m messing with ya.
The big argument is that one produces the same carbon as a small car driving to the Carolinas.
So what? I say.
Leaf blowers of all kinds are used in the warmer months.
Do you know what else happens in the warmer months?
Millions of tourists arrive in Maine in cars, trucks, suvs, big motor homes, on aircraft and thousands of boats take to the waters all over the state.
Do you really think 2 or 3 gas powered leaf blowers a day is going to save the planet from all the climate disasters that have been predicted in the past 60 yrs and never come true yet?
Any logical thinking person would say no.
Posting this comment as a courtesy for Clay Ragsdale of Birmingham, AL
Ted: Just read your article. The bad about gas leaf blowers is that they are used constantly and excessively. And I am not pointing in the direction of the homeowner. It is the landscaping industry. The noise makes it impossible to enjoy the reasonable expectations of one’s home.
I am on a sustainability committee, and our city places a premium on the peaceful and natural aspects of the community. I hypothesize that at least half, probably closer to 75%, of loud gas leaf blower use is optional and unnecessary when weighed against the annoyance and nuisance created by bands of leaf blower crews. Everyone seems to agree with this proposition but persuading the industry to voluntarily adopt better practices has been unavailing in most places leading to the necessity of limits and prohibitions.
Surely you can agree that a team of leaf blowers on your street, blowing a smattering of debris or grass clippings, while you are enjoying your pool or porch is a nuisance.