When I was a kid, I used to help my mother clear leaves the old-fashioned way — with a rake. These days, I don’t see many rakes in my neighborhood.
These days, I don’t see many rakes in my neighborhood. It seems everyone has a leaf blower or a landscaper who uses one, often at ungodly hours, which disrupts humans as well as wildlife.
Most electric models range from 59 to 70 decibels. For context, a motorcycle engine registers at about 95 decibels; normal conversation is around 50. And it’s worth noting that each 10 decibel increase is not merely 10 points louder but 10 times louder, so 80 decibels is a tenfold increase over 70. Both types also blow away mulch, contribute to soil erosion and disrupt delicate ecosystems. The soil depletion makes plants more vulnerable to disease and infestations, which could lead to higher pesticide usage.
If you have the time and inclination, rake. On hard surfaces, use a broom. Those are sustainable alternatives that also provide good exercise and some peaceful time alone with your thoughts.Leaf sweepers, which operate like push mowers, capture and collect leaves, twigs and other garden debris in an attached bag. This offers an additional advantage over blowers, which simply move debris out of the way or into a pile that needs to be gathered before reuse or disposal.
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