A about a year ago a group of concerned citizens came together to talk about the noise and air pollution created by 2 stroke commercial leaf blowers. The leader of the group is Bob Miller, a retired elementary school teacher who lives in Bronte. After initial discussions, the group of 6 families decided to create a website, do more research, and meet with their local town councillor Ralph Robinson. They'll be holding a meeting with stakeholders on December 1, 2015.
The concern regarding leaf blowers initially focused around noise and air pollution. As they started to do a little more research on the topic, they found out a few more interesting facts that helped to support the decision that the town of Oakville should regulate leaf blowers.
From a health perspective the dust that is kicked up by leaf blowers can contain mouse droppings along with several other dangerous toxins. The American Lung Association examined the toxins in street dust and also found molds, pollen, and even arsenic.
Aside from air and noise pollution, the powerful air flow created by commercial leaf blowers strips the top soil, destroys root systems, and kills micro-organism that keep our soils healthy.
The Let's Rake general meeting will take place on December 1, 2015 at 7:00 PM in the Atrium of Town Hall. The full agenda is listed on the Let's Rake website, and notable speakers include: Sean James a Master gardener at Fern Ridge Landscaping, and family doctor, Ted Mitchell who will talk about the health issues.
Should the town of Oakville decide to ban commercial leaf blowers, it would be joining such communities as the City of Vancouver, Aspen, Los Angeles, and 44 other communities in California. Complete information about Let's Rake can be found on their website: www.LetsRake.com.
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