Public Comment

I fully agree with Carol Denny’s piece on leaf blowers. In communities where they are banned, neighbors should talk to neighbors whose gardeners persist in using the machine. However, as a professional gardener, whenever I hear a municipality is discussing banning the blower, I agree, blowers are polluting machines that disturb settled dust and urban particulate matter. However, if you are going to take away this tool from the worker, YOU WILL HAVE TO PAY HIM MORE if you want him to use a rake, hose or broom to achieve the same kind of cleanliness. Or, customers could accept a little less perfection... 

P.S. As a current gardener at UC Berkeley, I am exempt from city regulations. We own a few dozen blowers (and lots of other polluting gas-powered tools) that are regularly in use, even on "spare the air" days.