Gas leaf blowers have been a fact of life in Montclair for a long time, and too many residents just assume nothing can be done. You’ve heard the arguments: there’s no viable alternative, there’s no way to enforce the law, there’s no use in arguing about it.

These objections don’t stand up. Montclair’s experience in 2021 showed that a ban can dramatically reduce the use of gas leaf blowers, even if compliance is not perfect. Maplewood has now enacted a year-round ban, following in the footsteps of Washington, DC, the state of California, and several other towns in our region. This is the future, and it can’t come soon enough.

Talk to your friends and neighbors. Share the research and help them find our site. Encourage them to reach out to others and do the same.

Resources are available to help with difficult conversations. Maybe you have neighbors who use landscapers, and the noise is constantly wrecking your ability to work or your kids’ ability to concentrate on school. These conversations can require a brave soul, we know. If you are up for it, try using our Neighbor to Neighbor flyer, or pass along some information about Quiet Alternatives and Landscaper Conversations. The “ask” doesn’t have to be much. Every little bit helps.