Dear City Council,
I want to thank the Council for passing the Zero Emissions Landscape Equipment ordinance at its first reading on June 13, 2023.
Two Councilmembers voted against this ordinance at that time on the ground that they did not want to cause potential economic harm to local small business owners.
I suggest that these Councilmembers have failed to consider the very real harm to the health and wellbeing of these same people. While the economic costs can be mitigated by City policies such as incentives, rebates and discounts, there is no way to mitigate the harm from exposure to toxic emissions and harmful noise that gas equipment inflicts on the operator.
I urge you to read the recent article in the New York Times that reveals the deadly effects of chronic noise: https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2023/06/09/health/noise-exposure-health-impacts.html?unlocked_article_code=u49VLxmcSK6kUNlGoAWkw64WxgBNtRtBb3u7I3mDFgq0FJWRMteJnTuJ_SyeWbRPmrATPCkNB8okLkHpPVaypgHZxzWSCdugTVEf_eqGgYLwDBfXX-BXiVM9WlsFgcAhN9I1OTI6FQXXIScYH9WL10G-s3cSe39HLDOf02xe_sUzOs25_yNLued3ntt1wtyh15J_saEvwWJi7P88An6K6tdWQf4GvLqNIJ5015crM1Oh5drYCB6aTcmQlDokaQc9jYXbS-99juj2PXtJMHo59Jf9n6DhfBufnjWG9wPipHuvsODAmQtOCD5EOkmbx_DzbXM9lNnB9igaHNROcNLBC1YvcY7DQAkfj7E46rcgRzQL-GQGYP0&smid=url-share
The Times consulted 30 scientists and reviewed thousands of pages of research to examine the pathology and epidemiology of noise. The conclusion is that chronic exposure to noise over levels around 45 dB (the average gas leaf blower operates at more than 60 dB) increases the risk of hypertension, stroke and heart attacks. Although people may feel that they have adapted to the noise or that it does not bother them, the data shows that ‘[p]rior noise exposure primes the body to overreact.” Moreover, ‘[s]cientists believe that pronounced fluctuations in noise levels . . . might compound the effects on the body.. . . [and that] jarring sounds that break through the ambiance —recurring jet engines, [or] a pulsating leaf blower [emphasis added] . . . are more detrimental to health than the continuous whirring of a busy roadway.”
Just as we would not continue to allow our fellow citizens to use health damaging chemicals because safer options are more expensive, we should not fail to protect our local gardening crews from the multiple dangers of gas powered leaf blowers because electric blowers are more expensive. Instead we should commit to making the transition to electric tools as easy and economically feasible as possible.
Thank you.
Leah Elkins
leahelkins@gmail.com
