It is almost 8:00 a.m. on this beautiful early fall Saturday morning, and other than the sound of acorns – many, many acorns – dropping to the ground, it is a pleasant fall morning. However, in this relatively quiet neighborhood there is something about exposing the green grass as long as you possibly can that gets the leaf blowers out fast and furious – and early in the morning.
Although pretty much everyone has a tree or two on their property, the road seems to be fair game as you blow the leaves off of your grass. And certainly it appears timing your leaf blowing with a good wind can work in your favorite if your goal is to have others enjoy the leaves you have just removed from your property.
Three things you could do to be a courteous leaf blower:
First, wait until at least 9:00 in the morning and before 5:00 p.m. on weekend days. Most people would like to sleep in or read quietly on weekends and the humming is unbearable. Also, after 5:00 it's nice to be able to walk the streets without needing to take a shower to remove the dust of the blower.
Second, blow a pile of leaves and bag them before the wind blows them into your neighbor's yard. It's actually quite rewarding and the best exercise bending and stretching and seeing the fruits of your labor. After all, you are just standing there blowing the leaves rather than raking and using your body to accomplish the job.
Finally, and the best idea, plan a neighborhood leaf blowing hour and everyone in the neighborhood get out the blowers and pick up the leaves together. This seems like the best solution and a good reason to get together for a salad and drink after the job, for today, is complete.
Pat Clarke
Be a Courteous Leaf Blower Operator
