Member-only story
GARDENING
It’s autumn in North America, and on the East Coast tree leaves are turning brilliant scarlet, orange, and yellow before dropping to the ground. As I write this post, I hear the whine of yet another lawn crew blasting three leaf blowers on a one-acre lot (that includes the house). Imagine you’re a small caterpillar snuggling under a pile of leaves ready to sleep through the winter and emerge in spring to become a butterfly. Now imagine being woken up by a blast of air that propels you into a pile of leaves where you are either thrown in the trash or shredded.
I’m not going to mince words here. Fallen leaves need to be left on the ground for pollinators to over winter and to replenish nutrients in the soil. Both soil health and the survival of pollinators are crucial for our food supply. Many studies suggest that in less than sixty years we will run out of healthy soil to grow our food crops. Research also shows us that pollinators are dying due largely to habitat loss. Rather than allowing fallen leaves to stay under trees and shrubs, we pay lawn crews to blow them away as if leaves were trash. Some people may “mulch” leaves, but in the process shred every caterpillar hiding within waiting for spring.
Four Reasons Leaf Blowers Are Bad
- There are no emission regulations on leaf…
