The weak thinking that people apply to just about everything shows how little we’ve advanced, and why we won’t probably won’t get out of our current morass. I’d point out the inanities of the arguments, but, really,  it’s not worth anyone’s time.

From Facebook, a  “N. Neighbors” page, devoted to the residents’ concerns in a certain area.

Citizen 1:

OK, it’s the first really nice day in a long time, and I can’t sit outside because of the leaf blowers. There bad for noise pollution, bad for the environment, and the put allergens back into the air. Yes, I KNOW it’s easier than raking, but given how long I hear those things buzzing, they can’t be saving much time.

Citizen 2:  I was thinking the same thing this morning as I watched a few guys blowing dirt, leaves and debris off the sidewalk into the street and up into the air. To me – this does nothing but move the mess around unless you sweep it up and dispose off it properly.

Citizen 1:  The guys next door have been at it for an hour. No dust protection, no sound protection.

Citizen 2:  <dead link to MA state site on leaf blowers>

BLOG.MASS.GOV

Citizen 1:

Leaf Blower’s Emissions Dirtier than High-Performance Pick-Up Truck’s, Says Edmunds’ InsideLine.com

SANTA MONICA, Calif. — December 6, 2011 — A consumer-grade leaf blower emits more pollutants than a 6,200-pound 2011 Ford F-150 SVT Raptor, according to tests conducted by Edmunds’ InsideLine.com, the premier online resource for automotive enthusiasts.

Mr. Non Sequitur:  Gee, I’d be happy to be home by 4 o’clock listening to anything, on a work day!

Citizen 1:  Not if you worked from home.

Mr. Non Sequitur:  I would love to work from home. But since I do physical labor, I can’t!

Citizen FU Oh, get a life. Leaf blowers will be here forever, and they are FAR, FAR, FAR FASTER than raking leaves. I use one for 3-4 straight weekends in the fall, my neighbors do likewise, and more power to them. But, gee, I am just oh so sure that they are (goes on to blame “Odumbdumb” for “believing” in climate change,  says how he would have banned leaf blowers had he stayed in office. He follows up with the usual invective against “snowflakes.”)

Citizen 1:  Oh, you’re a climatologist? Cool! Where did you get your degree?

Mr. Non Sequitur:  OMG Tony, everything isn’t Obama’s fault.
But snowflakes need to relax too.

Neighboress:  Glad, Tony, that you are a member of the entitled crowd. Are you sure you are old enough to operate a leaf blower or is it the toy version

Neighboress:  Definition of snowflake for those who feel the need to make this political.
snowflake, a supposedly derogatory term used by people who need to carry a gun to buy a sandwich

Mr. Non Sequitur:  Don’t carry a gun, but don’t want to dictate to others not to. Just trying to stay middle of the road and see both sides.

Neighboress:  Well said, Stephen. No wonder Washington cannot work together….we, the people, cannot even find a middle road.

Mr. Non Sequitur:  Without getting run over in it!

Neighboress:  😞

 

Neighboress:  For what it is worth, life is too short to not enjoy every day. Sounds are part of every season.

Yet another neighbor: The constant sound of leaf blowers drives me nuts!!!

Mr. Dismissive #firstworld problems.

Citizen 1:  Responses that are just name calling (and possibly baloney)? Don’t get me started.

Confused:  You got to be kidding me!

Citizen 3:  Happy Spring!

Mr. Non Sequitur:

< picture of fountain in Mr. NS’s yard>

Neighboress:  You turn that way up and have some fish jumping and you might drown out all other noise

 ‘Nother Neighboress: Leaf blowers aren’t faster unless you’ve got a giant one. They’re simply less labor. I spend less time raking than my neighbors do with their blowers. I agree the noise is irritating.

 

Mr. “I love my tool”:  I am a proud owner of a very large backpack blower and I can say they are unquestionably MUCH faster than raking or any other method. If anyone disagrees, feel free to come to my yard in the fall and try taking the entire thing with piles of leaves in less than 5 hours. As where I get the entire thing done in 45 min with the blower. I have woods behind my yard and blow them to the back.

Yes it’s loud and yes it’s a gas engine, but time is money and I’d much rather spend that time with my family or doing other things than raking leaves all fall.

Citizen 1:  You may use it for 45 min, but in a given neighborhood, it’s entirely possible that they are running for nearly the entire day.

Mr. “I love my tool”:  Haven’t experienced that yet. On any given house, a landscaping crew spends approx 15-20 Mon and moves on. This time of the yeah when you get spring cleanups and the fall where you get the same are the exceptions but otherwise during the summer they …See More

 ‘Nother Neighboress:   If your time were really that valuable you could pay someone else to blow them for you. 😃

Mr. “I love my tool”:  Saving 45 min to have someone else do it (and paying them) vs. Saving HOURS by using the machine… …slightly different.

‘Nother Neighboress:   I rake our yard in a couple of hours. Plus I enjoy it. I’m never going to strap a gas powered device to my back.

Mr. “I love my tool”:  That’s great. It’s your choice. My yard could not be raked and either dumped or bagged in a couple of hours when the leaves are down.

Ms. Reductio:  Do you people cut your grass with a pair of scissors too? Come on.

Citizen 1:  No, but a rake doesn’t move one leaf at a time, either.

Mr. “I love my tool”:  The argument that a rake isn’t that much slower than a quality leaf blower is never going to hold water with anyone who has a good amount of leaves in their yard.

 

 

Mr. “I love my tool”:  Everyone Crusades against leaf blowers but no one says everyone should use reel lawnmowers instead of gas powered ones.

Citizen 1:  OK, they are still noisy, polluting, and dust/allergen dispersing, which is the main argument.

‘Nother Neighboress:   I think there should be mufflers on them just like cars.

Mr. Non Sequitur:  Actually, they do have mufflers. It’s more of the sound of the fan that you hear.

‘Nother Neighboress:   Something that muffles the fan noise then. I meant a noise reduction device that makes them quieter.

Citizen 1:  Clearly, I’m not an outlier. There are plenty who think like I do. But I love the idea, “It’s my property. I’m gonna do whatever I want,” being posted on a site that uses the name “neighbors.” Why don’t they just change the name to “People who live in N.     but don’t really give a sh!t about what other people think.”

Mr. “I love my tool”:  Wow Citizen 1. Because people don’t agree with you, they don’t give a $it?

Unless you cut your grass with a reel mower, you drive an electric car, you walk or bike to work, recycle EVERY single piece of plastic, glass, cardboard, etc, only use items such as cups, plates, etc that are made from recycled material, use rain barrels to minimize water wastage, I’d hold out before dishing out the judgements.

Citizen 1:  Done with this. I was deluded to think to think that there might be a middle ground.

‘Nother Neighboress:   What middle ground are you looking for exactly? I’m not a fan of the noise either, but I feel like my neighbors get to do what they want as long as they’re not out there unreasonably early or late.