Ditch the gas-powered leaf blowers!

Fall is upon us, and with red, yellow and orange visuals of leaves changing color is the auditory accompaniment of leaf blowers buzzing across the city. And some of those leaf blowers—the heavy duty, two-stroke, gas-powered ones—also bring the stench of major pollution. According to a study conducted by the auto site Edmunds.com, “the hydrocarbon emissions from a half-hour of yard work with the two-stroke leaf blower are about the same as a 3,900-mile drive from Texas to Alaska in a [Ford F-150] Raptor [full-size pickup].” So, please, use a rake, go electric (or drag your leaves across the yard with a giant pickup if you must), but dump the big gas blowers.

Source: Washington Post Health & Science blog