Testimonials from Arlington Residents

“The idea that we must burn fossil fuels to rearrange leaves is insane. Time for a major shift in the balance between convenience and survival of our planet. “

Wynelle Evans, Arlington Town Meeting Member

"My personal experience is that electric and battery powered blowers are more than acceptable. I have an Ego battery powered trimmer and leaf blower and they both work great. I would not hesitate to recommend them."

Rick Gallagher, Arlington Town Meeting Member

“As the owner of a landscaping company I am concerned by the damage that the intensive leaf blower use does to the landscape. So this year I wrote a letter to my clients addressing the issue:

"Another area we have been discussing … is the use of leaf blowers, especially the gas-powered ones used by the Landscaping Companies….The use of the blower in the perennials beds is unnecessary and damaging to the plants:

• It dries out the soil.

• It blows the mulch and the soil away from the crown of the plants.

• It burns the delicate new growth of annuals and perennials.

• It takes away the protective layer and destroys wildlife habitat – butterfly eggs, bees nesting.

• People using the blowers are often walking through the perennial beds and damaging shrubs in their way.

• It is noisy and pollutes the air.

We would like to suggest the landscapers use their blowers on the paths, patios and lawns only. But have them stay away from the planted beds."

Martine Gougault, Owner, Beausoleil Gardens, Arlington Resident

From James Fallows, a contributing writer at The Atlantic, and a co-founder, with his wife, Deborah Fallows, of the Our Towns Civic Foundation. https://www.ourtownsfoundation.org/

He reports:

1) Basically *all* companies now operating in DC have made the transition. The District is serious about enforcing the law, and essentially any sizable company operating here has made the switch. (There are a few outliers but they're being knocked off week by week.) It's like a seat-belt law, or a second-hand-smoking law. They wouldn't have preferred the change, but they're operating with the new reality.

2) We had a list of some of the "early adopters" lower down on this page: https://www.quietcleandc.com/resources