In my line of work, one sometimes hears strange things. These include allegations that leaf blowers or pet manure should be high-priority targets for reducing climate emissions. I'm in a myth-busting mood today, so I am happy to report that leaf blowers don't really rate.
In the U.S., the emissions from all leaf blowers, both residential and commercial, for all of 2008 will be roughly equivalent to the emissions from driving that occurred between the arrival of the new year and 11:00 a.m. on January 1.
Add to that the entire year's worth of snowblowers, and you can equal the driving emissions up until 1:30 p.m. on the first.
Add in all lawn mowers, both residential and commercial, including the big riding and tractor-type units. Add in rototillers and other turf maintenance equipment. Add chainsaws, chippers, stump grinders, and shredders. Now add trimmers, edgers, brush cutters, and any other garden tool you can think of. The combined emissions from all of that racket-making equipment, for the entire year, is roughly equal to the driving that occurred before afternoon rush hour on January 6.
Of course, that's not really the whole story.
Here's a different way to think about leaf blowers: they emit more than 2.6 million tons of carbon-dioxide each year in the U.S. And each year they burn enough fuel to fill 6.4 million oil barrels. (More than 90 percent of the fuel use and emissions are from commercial leaf blowers.) Now, that sounds like a lot because it is a lot. It's just that it's nowhere near the impact of driving -- not even a single day's worth of driving.
So, from the perspective of climate protection, it makes more sense to go after the big fish -- cars and trucks -- where even a tiny improvement can translate into a huge gain.
On the other hand, from the perspective of protecting local air quality, it might make sense to worry about yard equipment. They have small but dirty two-stroke engines that can be responsible for a surprising share of health-harming air pollutants. (But these pollutants are mostly not the heat-trapping gases that cause climate change, a distinction that is frequently overlooked.)
The most important perspective, however, is the perspective of not-annoying-me-while-I'm-enjoying-a-cold-drink-on-the-patio. From this vantage point, it would be wise to replace gas-powered yard tools with electric or muscle-powered versions. And one good place to start would be my neighbor's lawn mower.
Figures in this post are calculated from the U.S. Department of Transportation, "Transportation Energy Data Book," table 2.10, here; and the Federal Highway Administration's "Highway Statistics Series," table MF-21, here. I used 2005 data, the most recent available for comparison; and for rhetorical purposes I assumed that driving emissions are equally distributed across each hour of the year, which they aren't.
‘Copenhagen Diagnosis’ offers a grim update to the IPCC’s climate science
Make the kids pay: The economic effects of climate change on future generations
Ask Umbra on bike helmets
Comments
View as Flat
Laurence Aurbach Posted 9:02 am
25 Jan 2008
Here's the California Air Resources Board leaf blower report page.
And here's CARB's Final Leaf Blower Report.
In the final report, see Table 9, page 50 for commercial leaf blower emissions. The text says:
Another way to visualize the data is to compare emissions for a given amount of leaf blower operation to miles traveled by car. The Air Resources Board regularly publishes such emissions benchmarks. Thus, for the average 1999 leaf blower and car data presented in Table 9, we calculate that hydrocarbon emissions from one-half hour of leaf blower operation equal about 7,700 miles of driving, at 30 miles per hour average speed. The carbon monoxide emission benchmark is significantly different. For carbon monoxide, one-half hour of leaf blower useage would be equivalent to about 440 miles of automobile travel at 30 miles per hour average speed.
See Table 10, page 53 for homeowner leaf blower emissions. The text says:
Thus, for the average 1999 homeownertype leaf blower and car data presented in Table 10, we calculate that hydrocarbon emissions from one-half hour of leaf blower operation equal about 2,200 miles of driving, at 30 miles per hour average speed. The carbon monoxide emission benchmark is signficantly different. For carbon monoxide, one-half hour of a homeowner-type leaf blower useage (Table 10) would be equivalent to about 110 miles of automobile travel at 30 miles per hour average speed.
Ped Shed Blog
Permalink
Bart Anderson Posted 10:33 am
25 Jan 2008
Namely: picking some process or behavior, calculating its current contribution to greenhouse emissions, then calibrating one's response accordingly.
For one thing, every industry under the sun will point out that ITS contribution is only X%, so why pick on them? The airlines have already made that argument.
A second reason, is that this analysis tends to be superficial. For example, landscapes that require leaf blowers are environmentally challenged in other ways (ask a permaculturalist for details).
Third, some issues that are not significant in terms of emissions are useful for building alliances. The many people who hate the noise of leaf blowers are potential allies.
Most importantly, this framework neglects the fact that our behaviors come in bundles. If one is aware and active about leaf blowers, one is apt to get involved in other issues as well.
Bart
Bart
Energy Bulletin
Permalink
birdboy Posted 10:46 am
25 Jan 2008
These folks would kill to keep their polluting toys- the neighborhood (and the Earth) can just suck it up. I honestly believe they like the smell.
a liberal in redsville
Permalink
JMG Posted 12:03 pm
25 Jan 2008
So, no, goddamn infernal only-wielded-by-
obnoxious-morons leaf blowers are not really a big greenhouse threat.
As others have noted though, there are a host of other ills that accompany the damn things, particularly the inducement to commit homicide against the neighbors whom we are told to love ... even such richly justified homicide is, alas, still a crime.
Save the world: Reduce greenhouse gas emissions 5% annually.
Permalink
Tasermons Partner Posted 12:48 pm
25 Jan 2008
Permalink
spgass Posted 2:25 pm
13 Nov 2008
Permalink