Ban leaf blowers once and for all

I was heartened to read David Bolling’s editorial in the Aug. 30 Index-Tribune (“Raucous, nerve-wracking noise”). Editorial support for banning leaf blowers in our fair town is a good sign. The time has come, not to just scale back or confine use to electric versions, but to ban all leaf blowers outright. As the editor pointed out, not one city that has banned leaf blowers has suffered any consequences from the ban.

Noise on this level generates not only hearing loss, but produces considerable stress, which usually results in elevated blood pressure levels and emotional irritation.

If the noise isn’t bad enough, there is also the matter of pollens blowing through the air. Many people in Sonoma already suffer from allergies. Leaf blowers exacerbate the situation. Blowing fecal matter through the air is another unintended but real consequence. Breathing in this dirt and bacteria is a health hazard.

Many California cities have already banned leaf blowers. Sonoma is behind the curve on this one. But, we could be the first city in Sonoma County to ban them.

More than a year ago, the City Council decided to place some restrictions on the hours and decibel levels allowed for leaf blowers. The goal was to review the situation in a year’s time. The year has passed and it’s time to encourage our City Council to lead the county on this measure and get rid of leaf blowers once and for all!

The City Council will address this proposal on Wednesday, Sept. 4.

Georgia Kelly