Quiet Orinda: Ban the Use of Leaf Blowers
Orinda's semi-rural charm and liveability have been seriously degraded by the noise and air pollution from the chronic use of leaf blowers. Leaf blowers pollute the air with unburned fuel and hydrocarbons, and by boosting into the air particulate matter containing animal fecal matter, molds, spores, fungi, diesel soot, and many allergens.
Leaf Blowers also pollute our soundscape by broadcasting a loud and annoying siren-pitch noise that blankets entire neighborhoods, forcing people indoors or away from their homes in order to escape the noisy intrusion.
Quiet Orinda advocates the replacement of leaf blowers with rakes and brooms. Orinda can join other enlightened, environmentally-conscious California cities like Berkeley, Piedmont, Mill Valley, Carmel, Santa Monica, Malibu and others who ban or severely restrict the use of these machines.
We the undersigned urge the City Council to enact a ban on the use of leaf blowers in Orinda, CA. We ask that the Council consider the vast reservoir of scientific and medical research into the significant air pollution, particulate pollution, and noise pollution caused by leaf blowers.
We believe, after investigation, that a significant, adverse health impact from leaf blowers faces all Orindans, especially the operators of the leaf blowers themselves.
