A worker with a leaf blower in Sierra Madre (Photo – ColoradoBlvd.net/Jean Sudbury)
We have more noisy leafblowers and small engines than passenger cars.
By Ethan Elkind
Leafblowers may not seem like a big deal in the fight against climate change, though they’re certainly noisy for those in leafy urban environments and dangerously polluting for those who operate them. But, in fact, these and other small engines (including lawn mowers and power washers) number more than 16.7 million in California, or about 3 million more than the number of passenger cars on the road.
Starting in 2024, they’ll be zero emission, per legislation Gov. Newsom signed in October. The California Air Resources Board was already developing a similar rule to be finalized as soon as next year, but under AB 1346 (Berman), the agency must apply the new rule by January 1, 2024, or later if regulators determine the industry needs more time.
The legislation will help boost a broader market for electrification and the lithium-ion batteries that enable it. It will also greatly reduce noise and air pollution. State Officials note that a gas-powered leaf blower running for one hour emits the same amount of pollution as driving a 2017 Toyota Camry from Los Angeles to Denver, a distance of about 1,100 miles. And hopefully it will save operators money on fuel by using electricity over gasoline.
AB 1346 is yet one more nail in the internal combustion engine coffin, at least in California. The cleaner alternative is already blowing in the wind.
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