6 ms·

Blowing leaves is faster - why would a service use leaf blowers if it wasn't less work. And of course, that's the big issue here. By taking more time, raking m

Blowing leaves is faster - why would a service use leaf blowers if it wasn't less work. And of course, that's the big issue here. By taking more time, raking makes cleaning the yard more expensive. When it comes to people in houses, that makes yard care more of an expense, which means some people will have to spend more time doing it rather than hiring a service. When it comes to condos or rentals where it's included, it makes rent more expensive. But hey, some louts won't have to put up with the sound of a leafblower for a few minutes a week. Who cares if everyone is worse off?

eropple 8y ago
Services use leaf blowers because it's less work and because they don't give a shit about the externalities they create. It's more than just sound. Leaf blowers mostly use dirty, dirty two-stroke engines. Tons of emissions--which, regardless of the smell, we should be minimizing--and an awful stink. If you can afford a house, you can rake the lawn and sweep the driveway. Or, as the article notes, even in Totalitarian Hellscape Washington you can buy a battery-powered leaf blower. What a horrible horrible sacrifice you must make.
- loudtieblahblah 8y ago
  I own a house. I have medical problems limiting just how much I can exert myself. This wasn't true when i initially bought the home. Raking leaves, is a 3-5 times event that could take me about 16 hours (an entire weekend) each time. Blowing the leaves takes about 5-6 hours. I had an electric blower for a long time and honestly, it only shaved off maybe a 10th of my time b/c it simply wasn't strong enough. I recycle, i drive a hybrid, i compost and garden, i have an electric mower. But for some people who spout endlessly about "externalizes", it's like there's no end to minimizing my foot print until i just up and commit suicide. You all sit back with your high and mighty judgements and half of you are just kids who've never been responsible for anything but yourselves, or dorky urbanites who have half a putting green for a yard in high crime areas. Or hell..both things at once.
  - eropple 8y ago
    Ah yes. Dorky urbanites. Certainly nobody who grew up in areas most minimally called "exurbs" would ever say that a two-stroke engine is unconscionably filthy to run. Certainly nobody who ever hand-raked a five-acre lawn growing up. One of the nice side effects of moving out of such places is that the impact I cause on the environment is significantly smaller and with effort it can be smaller still, but definitely--no idea what I'm talking about. Nope. Or, put more bluntly: your complaints are against the voices in your head. Airing them here is ugly. And you still shouldn't use gas-powered blowers. (I'd say "at least use a four-stroke", but they're probably too heavy to be practical given what you've said.)
  - toomuchtodo 8y ago
    Have you considered an electric leaf blower?
    - loudtieblahblah 8y ago
      i have one. It works about a 1/4 as well as a gas one. Using a rake takes me 2 days to rake my yard. (about 16 hours) An electric blower, 1.5 days (roughly 10-12 hours) A gas blower takes me about 4 hours. I have 2 medical conditions going on right now and can't pay someone $200 every single time i need my yard picked up. I spend enough in medical bills right now.
      - toomuchtodo 8y ago
        If you email me (email in profile), I would like to help you find a solution considering your constraints.
deleted 8y ago
[deleted]
peteradio 8y ago
Two stroke engines that power these things are dirty as fuck. Sucks to be the worker running these things, I'm super sure they are compensated appropriately and provided the necessary protection gear. Let alone anyone outside within 100 feet.
- toomuchtodo 8y ago
  Two stroke engines should be outlawed entirely. There is no reason for them to still be sold with batteries having advanced as much as they have. Hand held tools and scooters can be electric, small outboard motors for marine applications can be four stroke or propane fired.
  - abraae 8y ago
    If you're carrying your tool in to somewhere remote for a day's work, filthy old two stroke is the easiest, most energy dense power source. As opposed to a truck load of batteries.
    - deleted 8y ago
      [deleted]
    - deleted 8y ago
      [deleted]
    - HarryHirsch 8y ago
      Wait, what. This is about the yard crew and their hand tools. Everyone has electric at home, and the power cord has been invented.
      - toomuchtodo 8y ago
        Yard crews can also carry batteries and chargers for hand tools. I know because I’ve helped setup a trailer charging system, powered by solar, for a local landscaping contractor. The only tool they use that is fossil powered is a propane riding mower (which is clean burning). I am working on building them an electric riding mower with reclaimed Tesla modules from an S.

eropple 8y ago

Services use leaf blowers because it's less work and because they don't give a shit about the externalities they create. It's more than just sound. Leaf blowers mostly use dirty, dirty two-stroke engines. Tons of emissions--which, regardless of the smell, we should be minimizing--and an awful stink. If you can afford a house, you can rake the lawn and sweep the driveway. Or, as the article notes, even in Totalitarian Hellscape Washington you can buy a battery-powered leaf blower. What a horrible horrible sacrifice you must make.

loudtieblahblah 8y ago
I own a house. I have medical problems limiting just how much I can exert myself. This wasn't true when i initially bought the home. Raking leaves, is a 3-5 times event that could take me about 16 hours (an entire weekend) each time. Blowing the leaves takes about 5-6 hours. I had an electric blower for a long time and honestly, it only shaved off maybe a 10th of my time b/c it simply wasn't strong enough. I recycle, i drive a hybrid, i compost and garden, i have an electric mower. But for some people who spout endlessly about "externalizes", it's like there's no end to minimizing my foot print until i just up and commit suicide. You all sit back with your high and mighty judgements and half of you are just kids who've never been responsible for anything but yourselves, or dorky urbanites who have half a putting green for a yard in high crime areas. Or hell..both things at once.
- eropple 8y ago
  Ah yes. Dorky urbanites. Certainly nobody who grew up in areas most minimally called "exurbs" would ever say that a two-stroke engine is unconscionably filthy to run. Certainly nobody who ever hand-raked a five-acre lawn growing up. One of the nice side effects of moving out of such places is that the impact I cause on the environment is significantly smaller and with effort it can be smaller still, but definitely--no idea what I'm talking about. Nope. Or, put more bluntly: your complaints are against the voices in your head. Airing them here is ugly. And you still shouldn't use gas-powered blowers. (I'd say "at least use a four-stroke", but they're probably too heavy to be practical given what you've said.)
- toomuchtodo 8y ago
  Have you considered an electric leaf blower?
  - loudtieblahblah 8y ago
    i have one. It works about a 1/4 as well as a gas one. Using a rake takes me 2 days to rake my yard. (about 16 hours) An electric blower, 1.5 days (roughly 10-12 hours) A gas blower takes me about 4 hours. I have 2 medical conditions going on right now and can't pay someone $200 every single time i need my yard picked up. I spend enough in medical bills right now.
    - toomuchtodo 8y ago
      If you email me (email in profile), I would like to help you find a solution considering your constraints.

deleted 8y ago

[deleted]

peteradio 8y ago

Two stroke engines that power these things are dirty as fuck. Sucks to be the worker running these things, I'm super sure they are compensated appropriately and provided the necessary protection gear. Let alone anyone outside within 100 feet.

toomuchtodo 8y ago
Two stroke engines should be outlawed entirely. There is no reason for them to still be sold with batteries having advanced as much as they have. Hand held tools and scooters can be electric, small outboard motors for marine applications can be four stroke or propane fired.
- abraae 8y ago
  If you're carrying your tool in to somewhere remote for a day's work, filthy old two stroke is the easiest, most energy dense power source. As opposed to a truck load of batteries.
  - deleted 8y ago
    [deleted]
  - deleted 8y ago
    [deleted]
  - HarryHirsch 8y ago
    Wait, what. This is about the yard crew and their hand tools. Everyone has electric at home, and the power cord has been invented.
    - toomuchtodo 8y ago
      Yard crews can also carry batteries and chargers for hand tools. I know because I’ve helped setup a trailer charging system, powered by solar, for a local landscaping contractor. The only tool they use that is fossil powered is a propane riding mower (which is clean burning). I am working on building them an electric riding mower with reclaimed Tesla modules from an S.