The unnecessary hazard of leaf blowers in Paradise Valley
OPINION — Thanks to Victor Alexander, who pointed out the social cost of leaf blowers (7/29/26), and to Sarah Snell, who listed a few of their many health hazards (7/8/26).
The preponderance of leaf blowers can probably be attributed to landscape companies, more so than to homeowners demanding blowing. Landscape companies strap a blower on an unskilled worker (or two) on every crew, and that man blows whether it’s needed or not. We pay for that blowing — in dollars, in health, and in quality of life. And so does the worker. Can we really justify having our workers suffer such consequences?
Who hasn’t seen workers trudging along blowing clouds of dust and not much else?
We must put restrictions on landscape companies to solve over-blowing, or simply ban blowers completely. At least the gas-powered models.
Town council: you’ve heard us complaining for years. Please take action to minimize this plague.
PV residents: speak up if you’re concerned about the impact on your health, the disruption of your peace, and the ethics of exposing other humans to this unnecessary hazard.
Please submit comments at yourvalley.net/letters or email them to AzOpinions@iniusa.org. We are committed to publishing a wide variety of reader opinions, as long as they meet our Civility Guidelines.
