Gas-Powered Leaf Blower Laws in Pennsylvania
PennEnvironment’s toolkit for passing laws tackling climate, air, and noise pollution from gas leaf blowers and lawn equipment in your municipality
The Problem:
Everyone’s experienced the frustration of listening to the loud roar of lawn care equipment being used nearby. But it’s not just the noise, most Pennsylvanians are probably unaware of the massive amounts of air pollution being released in their proximity at the same time.
Gas-powered leaf blowers are noisy and polluting. In just one hour of use, they emit as much air and climate pollution as driving from Pennsylvania to Florida. For the sake of our health and environment, we shouldn’t put up with these smelly and noisy machines just to move around some leaves.
The Solution:
More than 100 states, cities, and municipalities across the U.S., including some of our neighbors in Washington DC, Maplewood, NJ, and Montgomery County, MD, have transitioned or are in the process of transitioning away from the use of gas-powered lawn equipment in some way.
This toolkit provides a set of resources for local decision makers and activists to take action in their communities to rein in climate and air pollution. It includes sample legislation, reports and research, and tools to assist citizen advocacy and public education.
For questions, more information, or if you’d like assistance on passing gas-powered leaf blower or lawn equipment legislation in your community, please contact Climate and Clean Energy Associate Ellie Kerns at [email protected].
Tools for Tackling Gas-Powered Leaf Blowers:
Model Local Leaf Blower Ordinance
A benefit of Pennsylvania lagging behind other states when it comes to tackling gas-powered lawn equipment is that we can see what policies have worked and what haven’t. PennEnvironment has put together sample legislation using best policy practices to tackle these polluting machines.
Model Leaf Blower Ban Ordinance:
Includes a ban on the use of gas-powered leaf blowers, coupled with seasonal restrictions on all motorized leaf blowers. A ban on gas-powered leaf blowers eliminates the worst environmental option, while the seasonal restrictions promotes cleaner air during seasons of high air pollution.
Sample Petition Language
Demonstrating public support for a local ordinance is one of the most effective ways of ensuring the best policy gets passed. PennEnvironment has drafted the below petition that can be used to collect signatures in support of a local restriction on the use of gas-powered leaf blowers.
Petition (italicized sections should be replaced with your specific information):
Dear Elected Official,
I’m writing to ask you to support Bill Number/Proposal. This measure will reduce the air-polluting and climate-warming emissions in Municipality by restricting the use of gas-powered leaf blowers. Where implemented in cities like Washington DC, Maplewood, NJ, and Montgomery County, MD, usage restrictions have proved effective. Municipality residents deserve quieter and cleaner communities, and a healthier planet.
For the sake of our health and climate, we shouldn’t put up with these smelly and noisy machines just to move around some leaves. Help us build a healthier Municipality by supporting this environmental policy today.
Sincerely,
Sample Letter to the Editor
To help build visibility for the issue and local ordinances in the media, PennEnvironment has drafted a sample letter to the editor. It can be used to show support ahead of votes and educate the public, elected officials, and lawn care businesses.
Sample Letter to the Editor:
“Not only do we all get annoyed by the loud thunder of gas-powered leaf blowers, but using these machines comes with a surplus of toxic air pollution and climate-warming emissions. Using a gas-powered leaf blower for just one hour emits the same amount of pollution as driving from Pennsylvania to Florida.
Exposure to this pollution is associated with asthma attacks, mental and reproductive health issues, and even premature death. For the sake of our health and climate, we shouldn’t put up with these smelly and noisy machines just to move around some leaves.
More than 100 municipalities, cities, and states across the U.S. have transitioned or are in the process of transitioning away from the use of gas-powered lawn equipment. With electric-alternatives readily available, there is no reason to delay. I urge my local leaders to pass legislation restricting the use of gas-powered leaf blowers, so that we can provide a quieter and cleaner community for ourselves and our environment.”
Informational Flyers about Pollution from Gas-Powered Lawn Equipment
These informational flyers can be a great way to inform yourself and you community about the negative impacts of gas-powered leaf blowers. There are county-specific fliers for the most polluted counties, feel free to download and share:
Reach out to Ellie Kerns, [email protected], if you are interested in a flyer for your specific county.
Report: Lawn Care Goes Electric
The PennEnvironment Research & Policy Center analyzed the air and climate pollutants emitted by gasoline-powered lawn and garden equipment in counties across Pennsylvania and the country.
See the results here: https://environmentamerica.org/pennsylvania/center/resources/lawn-care-goes-electric/
For a closer look at the Pennsylvania data, check out our Table of Full Pennsylvania County-Level Data.
Sample Social Media Posts
A great way to get the word out about this issue and your work is to share out on your social media. Here are some sample posts:
“A gas-powered leaf blower can release as much smog-forming pollution as driving from Pittsburgh to Miami.
Add your name to my petition to ban gas-powered leaf blowers in [Municipality]! #CleanerQuieter”
“PA has a chance to whack away at dangerous air and climate emissions from gas-powered lawn equipment – electric alternatives are cleaner, readily available, and easier to use.
I’m calling on [Municipality] to phase out gas-powered leaf blowers for a quieter and cleaner community! #CleanerQuieter”
Ways to Join the Effort in Cleaning Up Lawn Care in PA:
Are you a lawn care worker interested in supporting incentives for electric equipment?
Add your name to our coalition sign-on letter here to demonstrate your support for support for transitioning to electric lawn care equipment!
Share a testimonial about why you use or would like to use electric lawn equipment.
Are you a local leader or elected official in support of lowering pollution from gas-powered lawn equipment?
Interested in volunteering?
Join our Mobile Action Network by texting “PennEnvironment” t0 484-229-0050 and add your name to our petition!
Leaf Blowers in the News
- Philadelphia Inquirer – Check out this piece from Frank Kummer that’s an in-depth look into gas-powered lawn equipment and the recent action around the issue in Philadelphia and the surrounding area.
- The Spark on WITF – Listen to our Climate Associate Ellie Kerns and Gerhart Arndt from Sustainable Lawn Care Services talk about the shocking air and climate pollution from lawn equipment and the benefits of electric alternatives with Scott LaMar.
- Lehigh Valley Live – This article by Molly Bilinski looks at the impacts of gas-powered lawn equipment specifically in the Lehigh Valley.
- FOX43 – Check out this article and tv clip from Robert Stover about our Harrisburg press event for the release of our report, Lawn Care Goes Electric. It features our Field Director Flora Cardoni and State Representatives Melissa Shusterman and Darisha Parker.
- MainLine News – This op-ed written by our Climate Associate Ellie Kerns and co-signed by State Representatives Melissa Shusterman and Darisha Parker ran in outlets state-wide.
Our Activists in Action!
Support clean alternatives to dirty (and loud) gas-powered lawn equipment
Support commonsense solutions to rein in climate and air pollution from gas-powered lawn equipment.
Topics
Authors
Ellie Kerns
Climate Field Organizer, PennEnvironment
Ellie works on PennEnvironment's climate change campaign and helps move forward climate initiatives. She lives in Philadelphia, where she enjoys photography and gardening.
Flora Cardoni
Field Director, PennEnvironment
Started on staff: 2016 B.A., summa cum laude, Tufts University Flora oversees much of PennEnvironment’s climate and grassroots organizing work, directing staff and mobilizing volunteers around the state to fight climate change and promote good clean energy policy in Pennsylvania. Before taking on this role, Flora was a member of Green Corps where she led campaigns to register youth to vote in Arizona and oppose the Dakota Access Pipeline in Iowa. She’s also directed several door to door canvass offices around the state on behalf of PennEnvironment and Work For Progress. Flora lives in Philadelphia where she enjoys long walks around the city, taking in all of the art, food, and parks it has to offer.
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