Quite a few people are concerned about the etiquette of using leaf blowers.
Leaf blowers have been proven to damage plants, but they are still widely used across the globe.
One of the reasons why people use leaf blowers today is that they reduce pollution and make things safer for one’s self and others.
Atmospheric particulate matter is created by cars, factories so leaf blowers help battles this problem as well as curb dust in some ways.
Leaf blowers are causing considerable noise and vibration which can be audible for up to 800 metres away on calm windless days or about 50 metres away on a busy-travel day.
A person would use a leaf blower in order to clear leaves or garbage from their property.
This is typically carried out by people who live on the outskirts of towns or cities. It is not uncommon for homeowners to use leaf blowers on their properties as well, but it is not as common for them to use leaf blowers inside the house because of the potential for damage to property.
A leaf blower is a device that uses air flow to clear leaves, snow, and other light debris from hard surfaces such as roads or roofs.
It is used in outdoor work such as clearing gardens of leaves, snow and light branches before the winter arrives or in fall clean up after a storm has passed through.
In addition to clearing leaves, snow, and light debris from hard surfaces, it can also be used for clearing throat or nasal passages of mucus and for cleaning out a fireplace.
Benefits of Leaf Blowers?
The machines serve a variety of purposes other than just getting rid of leaves. They can be used for driveway cleaning, drying wet roofs, and more.
We should use the leaf blower without any sort of attachment to prevent plant damage because the powerful air currents generated by these machines are capable of disrupting and shredding leaves, drying them out prematurely in the process.
As far as cleaning goes, this is an efficient way to do it – usually faster and more efficient than sweeping or with a handheld vacuum.
Benjamin Hardy concludes his article with this point: use leaf blowers actively as they are very beneficial to have around – although they do pose threats towards plants and other small flora, so you should avoid using one has an attachment if you have plants in your yard or near your driveway.
Disadvantages of Leaf Blowers?
Leaf blowers are used for blowing dry leaves and have advantages such as convenience and safety.
However, the negative aspects should be taken into account as well.
Firstly, some leaf blowers might not be powerful enough to produce a significant airflow for this purpose, or some may generate excess noise that can potentially negatively impact the environment.
Secondly. They may pollute the environment by amplifying other pollutants in the air, such as noise.
Thirdly, if the leaf blower is not operated correctly, it could cause personal injury or property damage.
The positives for the use of a leaf blower outweigh the negatives for most people.
The environmental impact of this tool is negligible, and they are relatively inexpensive to purchase and operate.
Air quality impacts of leaf blowers
Leaf blowers pump air pollution into the environment and emit particulate matter 80 times more than a car.
They also contribute noise at a level that can reduce milk production on dairy farms.
There is no direct evidence that suburban leaf blowers care plants or damage them, but an indirect connection can be seen in the increase of particulative matter in the atmosphere around leaf blower use.
While they may contribute to smog, there is no clear answer as to whether they have as substantial an impact on air quality as cars.
No conclusive studies have been done so far, so this remains to be determined.
In most senses, children and plants are more sensitive to dust than adults are and for this reason; it cannot be conclusively said that these tools will ruin fabrics close to them through shake and dirt.
Plants have a large effect on air quality by trapping carbon dioxide in the ground, which helps reduce the amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere and creates a more hospitable environment for animals.
Not only are plants good for humans, but they are also good for animal life. While children may contribute to smog levels, there is no clear answer as to what the children do and why they are doing it.”
The presence of plants also lowers levels of ground-level ozone, a smog-producing gas, by absorbing chemicals released into the air during photosynthesis.”
Gas Leaf Blowers
Proper slitting is important to protect plants and survive in dry conditions.
The gas leaf blowers are a big problem for plants, by producing a lot of vacuum to them it can stress the plant cells from inside. These high-speed airflow does not only start the drying process but also created a distance for stomata which are responsible for transpiration.
An alternative is handheld/cordless blower or with battery packs that offers much less pull on foliage and branch, also reducing the pressure on leaves by using reverse-airflow system.
Alternatives to Leaf Blowing
Alternatives such as mulchers and blowers with dual motors can help reduce carbon monoxide and other emissions, but it is still not a perfect solution.The real solution would be to properly maintain the trees in your backyard, so that they have healthy leaves throughout the year.
Conclusion
The evidence suggests that leaf blowers cause problems for plants in the same way as other devices that use rapid pulses of compressed air, like simple leaf dusters.
The use of a leaf blower seems to have a negative effect on plant life by reducing the number and vigour of leaves and branches, which in turn appears to confer a reduction in biomass production.
Leaf blowers have created quite a contention recently because their noise levels are disruptive to animals (like echo mapping species like bats).
Plants are affected negatively in different ways – firstly drying out due to loss of moisture which can lead them to become famine or drink less water. While others will make way for leaf webs that grow since they no longer benefit under intense sunlight because they usually protect seeds from the sun’s heat.
