This common lawn tool is more than just annoying — it's bad for you.
One homeowner was fed up with their noisy next-door neighbor's excessive lawn maintenance, and research shows it can actually be dangerous.
"The crazy thing about our lack of noise ordinance enforcement is it just takes one person like this in a neighborhood to reduce quality of life for all," they shared on Reddit. "Noise is a health hazard. Often we focus on the horrible air pollution that lawn equipment emits while underreporting how dangerous and disruptive noise is."
The neighbor's frequent leaf-blowing bothers the Redditor, and for good reason — the noisy, gas-powered equipment is bad for both your health and the environment.
The OP cited a study that tested two leaf blowers and found that "all sound metrics emitted from this equipment were found to exceed WHO outdoor daytime standards (55 dB) up to 800 feet away."
Whether you're operating the leaf blower or nearby, prolonged exposure to the blower's noise can damage your hearing. Leaf blowers also release harmful pollutants and known carcinogens, like benzene and formaldehyde, into the air.
Can't afford solar panels? Here's how to get them without paying for purchase or installation Palmetto's revolutionary LightReach program gives you all the benefits of solar power without the upfront costs. LightReach lets you lease solar panels with no money down, making it easier than ever to lock in energy savings. Palmetto assumes all risk and responsibility for the panels you lease, which means you'll get reliable performance without unforeseen costs. To get started, just answer a few basic questions about your home and learn how much you can save. Learn more → |
Noisy lawn maintenance is restricted in some cities to certain hours of the day. Some states, like California and New Jersey, have even banned the sale of gas-powered leaf blowers and other noisy lawn equipment altogether, opting for electric instead.
Ditching gas-powered equipment doesn't mean you have to manually rake your yard. Electric alternatives are quieter, safer, and just as effective as their gas-powered counterparts.
Commenters shared their dislike for loud lawn equipment.
|
Do you worry about air pollution in your town? Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. |
All the time 💯 "Makes me imagine a world where HOAs enforced noise restrictions and other similarly meaningful things rather than trying to uphold a destructive status quo," one user wrote.
TCD Picks » Grove Collaborative
💡Grove makes it easy to cut toxins, plastic, and pollution with a collection of healthier home products
Another Redditor remained optimistic, saying, "There's so much potential for HOAs to be a force for good that fosters a comfortable healthy living environment."
A third commenter agreed with the OP: "Noise pollution and light pollution are very very real disturbances that affect our endocrinology, mood, and health way more than you'd think."
Join our free newsletter for easy tips to save more and waste less, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
Cool Picks
