Ditch The Noise And Use These Eco-Friendly Alternatives To Gas-Powered Leaf Blowers

Gas-powered leaf blowers make a lot of noise. In fact, so much noise, that at the time of writing this article, over 100 cities across the U.S. have either banned them or restricted when they can be used. Additionally, California has banned their sale completely. This has gone down well with those who promote a "leave the leaves" approach to gardening, but there are pros and cons and it's certainly not popular with everyone.

Fortunately, if you're one of those people who would rather clear away dead leaves and keep the yard neat and tidy come fall, there are plenty of eco-friendly alternatives to gas-powered leaf blowers. If you don't mind a bit of physical exercise to keep you warm on a chilly day, you could go old-school and use a leaf rake. There's a high-quality model from Tabor Tools that has adjustable tines for working in different areas of the garden and a telescopic handle for comfort, and it costs under $35 at Amazon. Best of all, it's virtually silent. Combine that with some clever tips for making raking easier, and you'll have the job done in no time.

There are a number of powerful tools for cleaning up leaves that don't rely on gas motors and if you have sizable lawn areas, the push-operated Gardena Leaf Collector could be of interest. If you're looking for powered alternatives, then you'll want to consider corded or cordless leaf blowers. Although early battery-powered tools were criticized for their lack of performance, there are now models that can rival gas power without the negative environmental impact of their fossil fuel rivals. In fact, big-name brands Husqvarna and Stihl, historically among the leaders in gas-powered garden equipment, now both produce cordless options.

The Black+Decker 3-in-1 Leaf Blower is a great example of a budget-friendly corded tool. Available for around $80 at Amazon, it has 2 speeds, can blow or vacuum, has a collecting bag, and can mulch leaves down to a tenth of their original size. At the other end of the price scale, the EGO Power+ Cordless Leaf Blower is $449. It's a considerable investment but is a powerful backpack model with variable speed, designed for clearing large areas as quickly as possible. It will run for up to three hours per charge, so you may want to take a break before it does.

Whichever eco-friendly alternative to gas-powered leaf blowers you choose, you'll want to make the most of the valuable resources you gather up. While some people burn their leaves, environmental groups would rather you didn't. It's not just the danger of a fire getting out of control and damaging property. Leaf smoke gives off hydrocarbons that could be a health hazard. There's also the possibility that wildlife might have crawled into the pile unnoticed.

You may have a local organization that can recycle them, but it's a much better idea to save your leaves for use in the spring. They can also be added to the compost heap, of course. Leaves can take longer to break down than other organic matter, so it's a good idea to mix them with grass clippings, vegetable scraps, etc. Shredding or mulching them helps accelerate the process and also reduces their bulk. Some leaf blowers can do this, but a dedicated machine like the Worx Electric Leaf Mulcher that can handle up to 53 gallons of leaves per minute is an efficient alternative.