Letter to the editor: Turn off the leaf blowers

By Matthew Scala, Tulsa - 11/6/2009


I'm writing this while sitting underneath a maple's luminescent orange leaves, many of which have covered the ground, an utterly peaceful scene. Just a short time ago, while out on the morning's stroll, I was deafened by the roar of society's response to this season of beauty. People with loud, fuel-spewing machines were blowing leaves around everywhere. How have we progressed so far in our human evolution that this is tolerated and accepted as the norm?

The utter absurdity of this angers me. Our neighborhood's collective peace is shattered by this behavior, which to me seems unconscious and disrespectful of all of the inhabitants nearby. Do any of us consider the impact of our actions upon others or upon the planet?

Leaves are stunningly beautiful and are nature's natural way of replenishing the soil as they break down. Why are they considered to be a nuisance — something to be bagged in plastic and anonymously discarded? Why aren't we saving, composting and mulching them? Why aren't we gathering together with neighbors with cider and rakes and making huge piles of leaves to leap into? Community, play, work, combined with quiet hand tools. Wouldn't this stewardship be a much better use of our wondrous humanity?



Letters to the editor are encouraged. Each letter must be signed and include an address and a telephone number where the writer can be reached during business hours. Addresses and phone numbers will not be published. Letters should be a maximum of 250 words to be considered for publication and may be edited for length, style and grammar. Letters should be addressed to Letters to the Editor, Tulsa World, Box 1770, Tulsa, Okla., 74102, or send e-mail to letters@tulsaworld.com.


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Tulsa World Reader Comments
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zzx375, BA (11/6/2009 6:59:08 AM)
Blow the leaves in the street, just like was done for the cut grass during the summer and let it all wash into the storm drains. Then a few years down the road pay tax dollars to have the big rooter truck clear out those same storm drains.

Woofenburger, Hominy (11/6/2009 10:06:57 PM)
Compost away Matthew! I'll blow you some leaves you can rot!

Democrat, Tulsa County (11/6/2009 5:43:15 AM)
Spoil sport!!! I think it says in the Constitution that we all have a right to make as much loud and obnoxious noise as we desire. If someone doesn't like it, he can just turn up the volume on his sound system, open his windows, and drown out all the noise coming from the God-given power tools.

owl, Tulsa (11/6/2009 10:36:54 PM)
Own two blowers but rarely use, after discovering they're really DRD's. (debris redistribution devices)

fredsdad, Tulsa, OK (11/6/2009 8:23:52 AM)
Matthew, Actually, most of the leaves picked up are delivered to dirt and soil lots for composting. However, if you insist, feel free to bring some cider and a rake to my house. I will drink the cider while you rake the leaves, and when you are finished, Fred and I will go play in the pile. That will, though, require that you rake again, then pick up all of the leaves and place them in a compost bin. Sounds like a lot of work for me to watch. Bring lots of cider.

HardHeartedHanna, (11/6/2009 8:50:20 AM)
That group that want to come and quietly get my leaves are welcome any time. I will provide the cider. Please bring a really big truck!

HardHeartedHanna, (11/6/2009 11:13:57 AM)
Norm, you hit it right on the spot. Don't you wish these the TW would put their ages as well as their names. Or their welfare status.

Ric, Broken Arrow (11/6/2009 10:23:07 AM)
I've been mulching mine with the garden tractor, caught fire last weekend when too many leaves got caught underneath... had a little scare there for minute.

Billo, (11/7/2009 12:03:25 AM)
It's the trees. Nature mocks our efforts to establish uniformity. Cut down the blessed trees, once and for all, and breath free. The insanity has to end.

Hijinx, (11/6/2009 7:12:03 AM)
I am with you on this one Matthew. I hate those blowers! My neighbor has one with what must be a VW motor and he straps to his back just about 7am on Saturdays. I often think about that when I walk the dog.

psychedelikrelik, Tulsa (11/6/2009 10:24:19 AM)
My backyard has a low area by the back fence that collects rainwater. After a good rain, my yard and three of my neighbor's yards used to look like a pond. Over the last 3 years, my husband has been composting the leaves and grass clippings in that area and it has raised the level to where it has to rain an awful lot before we can ski back there.

Hobbs, Loveland, Co (11/6/2009 7:41:19 AM)
I have a leaf

Hobbs, Loveland, Co (11/6/2009 7:43:47 AM)
Oops..wrong key, darn lap tops are touchy. I have one that sucks up the leaves...does that count?

M_Sizzle, Tulsa (11/6/2009 2:04:16 PM)
Oh brother....i wonder if Matthew uses a lawn mower, edger or a weed eater. I don't see how you can complain about a leaf blower.

THESMOKEHOLE, Tulsa (11/6/2009 10:31:23 PM)
If he would have mentioned a Mexican illegal with a leaf blower, the entire letter would have been more interesting...but since he didn't...I guess we will settle for less than interesting as we try to figure out why he sent this atrocity to the TW.

dustyoutlaw, Tulsa (11/6/2009 7:25:25 AM)
Well I'm probably going to be at odds here with those on the left and right but leaf blowers are polluting beyond their value instruments and are being banned in state after state. Of course when everyone but Mississippi, Louisiana, South Carolina, Arkansas and Oklahoma have banned them, the far right will claim it's a socialist agenda and suggest everyone get five. But the reason they come along and disrupt your tranquility Mathew is because if you don't remove your leaves the city of Tulsa will post you and if you don't remove them then they will fine you over a thousand dollars. Take it up with city hall and leave the guys on the blowers alone. They're just doing what their bosses told them to do.

Elusive, the burbs (11/6/2009 10:57:49 PM)
Mathew, I have a solution; go outside around midnight with your lawn chair and cider and turn some bright flood lights on your yard. It's really peaceful then. What I can't stand is my neighbors mow their yards twice a week, all on different days of course so it's constant lawn mower noise. Perhaps we should all go back to manual push mowers, leaf rakes, all mechanical, the only energy used is man made. Nah, that's too much work we might get healthy or something and wouldn't need that new Obama healthcare.

Dr. Strangelove, Tulsa (11/6/2009 7:19:35 AM)
I'm sorry Matt, I shut it off. Is my cigar bothering too?

Norm, (11/6/2009 10:24:18 AM)
I'm glad Matthew has enough time to not only sit around worrying about this - but time enough to put pen to paper to complain about it! The rest of us have jobs that take up a LOT more than 40 hrs - and Families that take up the rest. If I can save time, AND help the economy by hiring someone to pick up my leaves as quickly as possible (so they can go on to another job and earn MORE money), so be it. It's MY money - I earned it, and can spend it as I see fit. Even if I DID have extra time - I wouldn't waste my precious time on something as inconsequential as LEAVES! Obviously my time is worth more than Matthew's.

recyclemichael, Tulsa (11/6/2009 9:24:02 AM)
Composted leaves are the secret to gardening.

BowlerDave, Tulsa (11/6/2009 9:12:37 AM)
If you don't have a leaf blower, how else will you blow leaves? Wait for the wind to do it?

Carl, Henryetta (11/6/2009 9:02:32 AM)
Oh brother! I'm sure that lawn mowers amd snow blowers are tools of the devil as well.

GARFIELD, TULSA (11/6/2009 6:02:38 PM)
Mr. Scala: So far I've raked up 10 big bags of leaves--the old fashioned way--no machines, just elbow grease and a rake. But it was great exercise for me, got me out of the house, and the weather was super. One reason I bag up the leaves is because I have critters--picking up do-do under a bushel of leaves can be a real bummer--forget the bottoms of my shoes!!



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