Sign to support protecting our local air quality
Sign to support protecting our local air quality
The Issue
Dear Community Members,
I grew up in Darien and have witnessed the dramatic worsening of our local air quality. You used to be able to get off the train and breathe in crisp and clean air. Now there is a haze that hangs over our town, and the air just smells stale or of gas fumes. The peace and quiet that Darien used to be known for is gone as well now, because all you hear is ear- piercing noise from leaf blowers.
There has been a sharpening increase in the use of leaf blowers by landscapers over the past decade- from more one month in the spring and one month in the fall to 9 months of the year. Not only this, but commercial landscapers are using 2-3 leaf blowers on one small yard at the same time in the summer when there is not a leaf in sight.
The emissions studies on gas leaf blowers, lawn mowers and weed whackers is really shocking. Leaf blowers emit 300 times more air pollution than a Nissan pick-up truck!
“In 2011, engineers at the car company Edmunds estimated that driving a Ford F-150 Raptor truck from Texas to Alaska would emit the same amount of air pollution as a mere half-hour of yard work with a two-stroke, gas-powered leaf blower. Indeed, Edmunds estimated that some gas leaf- blowers generate 23 times the carbon dioxide of the Raptor and 300 times more non-methane hydrocarbons...Worse yet, gas-powered leaf blowers also emit nitrous oxide. The EPA estimates that the impact of one pound of nitrous oxide on warming the atmosphere is almost 300 times that of an equivalent pound of carbon dioxide.”
A small push lawn mower emits a shocking amount of pollution- “A four stroke lawnmower operating for one hour equates to a vehicle traveling for 500 miles.”
https://psci.princeton.edu/tips/2020/5/11/law-maintenance-and-climate-change
The heavy commercial lawnmowers emit even more pollution than the small personal use ones do.
(All statistics and research referred to in this petition can be requested)
Small personal push gasoline lawn mowers are eleven times more polluting than a gasoline- powered car or pickup truck.
A gas riding lawnmower is even worse, as they emit as much pollution as 34 cars and 300 times more pollution than a small pick-up truck.
A four- stroke gas leaf blower releases almost 7 times more Nitrogen Oxide and Carbon Monoxide than one pick-up truck. 2 stroke leaf blowers are even worse.
A 2-cycle gas line trimmer produces as many emissions in one hour as one full size pickup truck traveling over 3000 miles.
These machines do not have any emission control components like cars or pickup trucks do, and are also unable to completely combust their fuel. On top of it-landscapers will often use a mixture of dirty fuel from auto repair shops, both of which further adds further significant pollution to the atmosphere.
20 years ago gas landscaping machines were estimated to be contributing 5-10% to total air pollution levels.
Now, long term studies by the EPA in California determined that by 2020, the use of gas landscaping machinery had grown so much that it was dumping more total air pollution into the air than the total number of California cars on the road.
With over 7000 single family homes in addition to the public properties and commercial properties in Darien, and everyone getting their lawns mowed every week and landscapers are using 2 to 3 leaf blowers at the same time on the same small yard nine months of the year and each of these machines are 300 times more polluting than any car or pick up truck on the road- these machines are dumping chronic dangerous amounts of exhaust fumes into our town's public air space- far more than any amount of cars that we drive on our roads all year long could ever do.
Decades of research shows that most of these fumes don't actually ever dissipate. They just instead float up and hang out in our airspace making our air smell stale and they also rise up and get trapped in our atmosphere- many of them for centuries.
“Fairfield County remains one of the most polluted counties in the nation…and is the most polluted county in the New York- Newark metro area with the highest ozone readings in the eastern US.” This report also states that Fairfield, Lichfield and New Haven counties all recorded more particulate pollution in 2022. - American Lung Association 2022 State of The Air Report
Fairfield, Middlesex, New Haven and New London counties have received an "F" for ozone levels, according to the 2023 American Lung Association's "State of the Air Report."
"Fairfield County air quality continues to score dismally for air quality, according to the American Lung Association’s 2023 'State of the Air' report, which was released today. In fact, the county is not only the most polluted in the entire New York-Newark metro area, it has the highest ozone readings anywhere in the eastern U.S." -
https://www.lung.org/media/press-releases/state-of-the-air-connecticut-2023
Landscapingprofessionals.org stated that the landscaping business has been growing at rate of about 5.3% a year since 2017 (which is the first year they only started tracking it). So- that original 5-10% contribution to air pollution levels from 20 years ago has ballooned into a significantly larger percentage of our country's air pollution. On top of it, these statistics dont take into account the landscaping companies are using 2-3 leaf blowers at the same time 9 months of the year instead of two months of the year.
Even manufacturers recognize that these gas landscaping machines are dangerous as they recommend anyone around these machines should be wearing protective gear. We are all walking by these machines not wearing any protective gear at all all day long, every single day 9 months of the year.
Long term health studies over 20 years on children’s exposure to ground level air pollution are extensive. These studies have have been showing that exposure to ground level air pollution causes a 20% reduction and permanent stunted lung growth in children.
More recent studies as reported by Harvard are also showing a strong link between exposure in pregnant women to kids who have learning disorders, as well as increased anxiety, and depression in kids. This newest research reported by Harvard is even showing that exposure in the womb in the third trimester is linked to a 64% spike in autism rates.
On top of it, the NOAA is finding that every New England state has already surpassed the 1.5 degree climate change threshold set by the UN. Every state has already surpassed it by 3 to 4° and Burlington Vermont‘a overall temperature change is the highest in the United States as it has already reached a 7° change increase only happened since 1970. The temperature of the water off of Maine has already warmed more than most any other bodies of water in the world.
"Climate change has caused a shift in the jet stream, which has prevented cold air from settling into the Northeast. This shift has resulted in winters warming at three times the rate of summers in the Northeast." - Climatologist Samantha Borisoff from Northeast Regional Climate Center to the Burlington Free Times on March 14, 2023. You can read more about the studies below this piece.
July 2023 has so far recorded the hottest temperatures ever recorded in 100,000 years. Here is the link for the article with more information-
The theory that landscapers need gas powered machines to operate a landscaping business has already been proven false as there is a growing list of local commercial landscapers who only use clean and machines.
NEW OPTIONS FOR HOMEOWNERS AND COMMERCIAL OPERATORS-
Companies now make lawnmowers, weed, whackers, and leaf blowers that run eight hours without a battery charge. Here is one company- https://meangreenproducts.com/
Homeowners can also purchase automated robot mowers (think Roomba for your lawn)- that not only mow your lawn for you, but one can pick up leaves, sticks, and other debris while it is mowing your lawn for you. The companies listed below sell these robot mowers that do not need perimeter wiring; you can set them up just using just your cell phone-
https://meangreenproducts.com/
https://mammotion.com/
https://www.ecoflow.com
https://egopowerplus.com/
Consumer Reports "2022 Leaf Blower Buying Guide" reviewed 51 battery-powered and electric leaf blowers from $58 to $599.44. They also reviewed 18 gas- powered leaf blowers from $110 to $479.45
Consumer Reports' "2022 Lawnmower and Tractor Buying Guide" reviewed 50 battery powered mowers from $164 to $1000. They also reviewed 42 models of gas-powered lawn mowers from $200 to $1604.
These new battery and electric powered machines not only release no fumes but they also operate at a much lower decibel than the old machines. "Gasoline mowers use internal combustion, or controlled explosions, to run the motor and turn the blades. An electric lawnmower, whether it’s a cordless mower or a corded mower, runs on just a flow of electrons. The only sources of noise are the airflow caused by the blades, and the sound of any moving parts. Especially if the mower has a modern brushless motor, which reduces friction." https://dfarq.homeip.net/are-electric-lawn-mowers-quiet/
"For example, your average electric mower or leaf blower is going to produce around 75 dB of noise (equivalent to a running washing machine) — granted, that’s only a 10dB difference between the gas and electric motors, but because decibels are measured along a logarithmic scale, it actually sounds nearly half as loud to the human ear....What’s more, electric engines (with their decided lack of moving parts) wear much more gently than their internal combustion counterparts: No spark plugs to replace, oil to change, gas-oil ratios to measure and pour.
Many professional-grade battery-powered tools come equipped with a brushless motor, which is virtually maintenance-free,' Stihl battery product manager, Paul Beblowski, told Engadget via email. 'With a battery — there’s no need to buy, transport, or store fuel. There’s no tune-up for an electric motor and no need to winterize. Aside from sharpening the cutting blade once a season or so, all owners really need to do is ensure the battery gets recharged before their next mowing session.'" https://www.engadget.com/best-headphones-150030794.html
These new machines are also much more user-friendly- you can just press a button to turn them on.
Mean Green Products also have a calculator to help commercial operators figure out the up-front investment cost and long-term savings for switching over- https://meangreenproducts.com/the-electric-advantage/
The taller your grass, the healthier your lawn. There is a direct correlation between the height of your grass and the depth of its roots. If you mow your lawn to four inches, you will have four inches of roots. By mowing your lawn less and keeping it little longer adds root mass, which makes your lawn naturally more drought & disease-resistant, provides natural weed control, and greatly reduces the amount of water or any weed control you may need.
You can also plant a hardier drought- resistant grass seed so you can save money on water, mowing and weed control.
If you have a smaller yard, you can buy an updated version of the cool old-fashioned manual reel mower and make it an excuse to skip the gym! https://www.popularmechanics.com
Studies conducted by the California Air Resources Board, the EPA and consumer review publications show that these new machines are significantly safer for the our air quality of our community-
Battery-powered lawn mowers emit about 1/100th of the smog-forming pollutants and greenhouse gases that gas-powered mowers emit.
A personal push gas lawn mower emits 8 times more Nitrogen Oxide (a major contributor to climate change as it just builds up in the atmosphere), 3,300 times more hydrocarbons and 5,000 times more Carbon Monoxide than an electric lawn mower.
A small push gas-powered lawn mower emits 4.4 pounds of CO2 per hour, whereas a typical electric lawn mower emits 0.9 pounds of CO2 per hour of use according to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
A typical gas-powered leaf blower can emit as much pollution in one hour as a car regular car being driven for 1100 miles. On the other hand, electric and battery- powered leaf blowers produce no emissions during use.
Consumer Reports has found that the cost range for these new landscaping machines is the same as similar gas- powered models:
Consumer Reports "2022 Leaf Blower Buying Guide" reviewed 51 battery-powered and electric leaf blowers from $58 to $599.44. They also reviewed 18 gas- powered leaf blowers from $110 to $479.45.
Consumer Reports' "2022 Lawnmower and Tractor Buying Guide" reviewed 50 battery powered mowers from $164 to $1000. They also reviewed 42 models of gas-powered lawn mowers from $200 to $1604.
The Federal government also offers a rebate to consumers and commercial operators for purchasing clean machines up to $2500. You can also sell your old machines for scrap at local metal yards and get some money back that way too.
The town of Darien regulates the way businesses in Darien operate all of the time and in every capacity. They even regulate the size of the sign a business owner can use to even advertise their business. But, when it comes to the town's public health and safety, the town has been silent and avoidant when it comes to protecting our town's public health when it comes to how businesses operate within our town borders. While the town regulates minute things like the size of signs, the town has been allowing businesses from out of town to operate with no oversight and no regulation at all any which way they want, leaving our public health in the hands people who don’t even live here.
CONNECTICUT LAWS ON NOISE POLLUTION AND FUMES
There is a state law that fumes-
"Section 22a-174-23 of the Regulations of Connecticut State Agencies states in part that "no person shall cause or permit the emission of any substance or combination of substances which creates or contributes to an odor, in the ambient air, that constitutes a nuisance."
Also, In the state of Connecticut, any sound over 100 decibels on any one property is against the law according to Statutes Chapter 442 Noise Pollution Control-
"(b) No person shall cause or allow the emission of impulse noise in excess of 100 dB peak sound pressure at any time to any noise zone." It also states in, Sec. 22a-69-3.1, "No person shall cause or allow the emission of excessive noise beyond the boundaries of his/her noise zone so as to violate any provisions of these Regulations.”
"(a) The legislature finds and declares that: (1) Excessive noise is a serious hazard to the health, welfare and quality of life of the citizens of the state of Connecticut; (2) exposure to certain levels of noise can result in physiological, psychological and economic damage; (3) a substantial body of science and technology exists by which excessive noise may be substantially abated; (4) the primary responsibility for control of noise rests with the state and the political subdivisions thereof; (5) each person has a right to an environment free from noise that may jeopardize his health, safety or welfare."
It turns out that this law actually regulates landscaping machinery-
"(m) lawn care and maintenance equipment means all engine or motor-powered garden or maintenance tools intended for repetitive use in residential areas, typically capable of being used by a homeowner, and including, but not limited to, lawn mowers, riding tractors, snowblowers, and including equipment intended for infrequent service work in inhabited areas, typically requiring skilled operators, including, but not limited to, chain saws, log chippers or paving rollers."
https://eregulations.ct.gov/eRegsPortal/Browse/RCSA/Title_22aSubtitle_22a-69Section_22a-69-1/ & https://noisefree.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/connecticut.pdf
Gas powered lawn mowers, leaf blowers and weed whackers are cheaply made without emission control components like catalytic converters and muffler systems. They also have thin metal casings with no sound insulation and the engine of the mower is outside, instead of inside like a car. There are a number of reasons why they are so loud. Gas combustion in general is extremely loud and without these noise barriers like cars have, all of these machines are ear piercing.
While one of these commercial gas- powered machines can surpass the legal 100 decibel limit alone but problem is that multiple machines are being used at once on one property which is breaking the legal sound limit by 3 or more times.
On top of it, "To put the numbers in perspective, you should understand that the sound level number can be deceiving. We use decibel (or dB) as the unit for sound intensity, but the scale is logarithmic. This means that a 10dB increase feels like 2 times louder. And a sound above 85dB can already cause hearing loss when you are close to it and experience it for a long time." https://www.gardentoolexpert.com/how-many-decibels-does-a-lawnmower-produce-and-what-lawnmower-type-is-quieter/
Push Lawn Mower: 86-92
Riding Lawn Mower: 90-106
Leaf blower: 95-115
Lawn Edger: 98-106
The only machine listed that doesn’t risk push the state's noise pollution limit is the personal push lawn mower. Again though, its not the individual machine that is the problem in town it is the commercial use of having multiple machines operating at the same time that is violating the state sound pollution law and dangerous to our hearing in even the short term.
The CDC states that- "noise above 70 dB over a prolonged period of time may start to damage your hearing, but noise levels at 105–110 decibels can cause hearing loss in less than five minutes." https://www.cdc.gov/nceh/hearing_loss/what_noises_cause_hearing_loss.html
You can read about noise levels and the effects on our public health- https://aftonvilla.com/the-noise-level-of-riding-lawn-mowers-understanding-the-risks-and-how-to-reduce-the-sound/
The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) provides a noise measuring app that you can use to measure noise levels if you have an iOS-based phone. https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/noise
Darien has to enforce Connecticut state laws, and the town, even has its own noise ordinance and It simply states that Darien is to enforce the noise restrictions as defined by the state of CT noise laws. You can find that here-
https://portal.ct.gov/-/media/DEEP/air/noise/ordinances/DarienNoiseOrdinanceOLDERpdf.pdf
Darien has the ability to make its own ordinances to enforce the state law on noise pollution without any state oversight-
"municipalities are no longer required to have their ordinances reviewed and approved by DEEP. Connecticut General Statutes section 22a-73 “Any such municipal noise control ordinance shall be at least as stringent as any state noise control plan” which can found in 22a-69-1.1 et seq. of the Regulations of Connecticut State Agencies." https://www.cga.ct.gov/2022/ACT/PA/PDF/2022PA-00143-R00SB-00238-PA.PDF
With over 7000 single family residences, plus commercial properties, apartment complexes and public property- our town is consistently pumping out dangerous levels of air pollution ten hours a day. This is putting everyone who lives in town or works here at serious risk. On top of it, short term exposure to the excessive noise in one yard alone carries a huge risk of permanent hearing damage in just a five minute exposure. These machines are a serious public health problem for our community.
According to the Darien Health Department's mission statement-
“Mission of the Health Department: Prevent disease, by promoting a safe community and healthy environment to all residents and visitors, while upholding public health based regulations, which protect the quality of life.
The 2011 EPA report “National Emissions from Lawn care Equipment” made a final recommendation-
"Communities, environmental and public health officials should create policies and programs to protect the public from GLGE air pollutants and promote non-polluting alternatives."
The pervasive use of commercial operated gas powered lawn mowers, leaf blowers and weed whackers has wrecked and is continuing to worsen the local air quality in our town. All we breathe and smell now is stale air or fumes. These fumes and the noise makes this a serious public health problem for our community since we share our air.
We can’t keep blaming far off countries, factories or far off corporations when research through California's EPA showed that in 2020 the use of these machines is creating more total air pollution than the number of the own state's registered cars on the road.
Buying an electric car will not even begin to offset the pollution coming from these machines as research is showing that just one of these small engine gas guzzlers is 11-34 times worse than any gasoline powered car or pick-up truck on the road
The easiest solution is to follow the lead of other communities around the country, like what Aspen Colorado has already done, and what Dallas Texas is working on passing, (a complete ban on all use of gas landscaping machines) and create an ordinance but here in town, since it’s not homeowner's use that is the problem- we can create a scaled down version that just addresses landscapers use, which could read-
“Ban on the commercial operators’ use of gas powered lawn mowers, leaf blowers and weed whackers in Darien CT between Memorial Day and Labor Day.”
This ordinance will address the town of Darien's requirement and need to enforce state environmental laws to protect it's residents and the people who work here, but most importantly, unwind the dangerous fumes that now hang in our town which causes our air to now smell stale, but also it will fix the noise complaints, all of which restores the serene and peaceful and healthy quality of life that Darien used to be known for. It will also leave some flexibility for the spring and the fall for leaf blowers (unless they are banned altogether) so that they can be used for spring and fall cleanup until better batter leaf blowers are mainstream.
The ban would be very easy to enforce since it is clear cut and also companies will naturally migrate their use over as they are well aware that bans like this are happening all across the country already. Darien is years behind everyone else.
In 2022, the United Nations signed a declaration stating that everyone has a right to clean air, water and a stable environment.
“There is no room left for equivocating, no time left for debate. Clean air is not an optional policy objective. It’s a fundamental human right.
Everyone needs to breathe clean air. That billions of people today are breathing dirty, deadly air constitutes a global health, environmental and human rights crisis. The solutions are known and simply need to be implemented. Not only do we have an extraordinary opportunity to save tens of millions of lives in the decades ahead by reducing air pollution, we have a moral and legal obligation to do so.” - David R. Boyd, United Nations Special Rapporteur (reporter)
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"Ground-level ozone can harm the lungs. It forms when chemicals mix with sunlight. This ozone pollution is a main part of smog — the brownish-yellow haze often seen hanging over cities on the horizon. It's worse on warmer days or in warm parts of the country." https://kidshealth.org/en/parents/ozone-asthma.html
Breathing ozone and particulates triggers immediate allergic symptoms including chest tightness, cough, throat irritation and congestion.
"Extensive evidence exists on the adverse health effects of exhaust emissions and other fine particulates which include cardiovascular disease, stroke, respiratory disease, cancer, neurological conditions, premature death, and effects on pre-natal development." https://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2015-09/documents/banks.pdf
A Southern California Children’s Health ongoing study tracking children ages 10 to 18 starting from 1993 found the impact of growing up around constant air pollution is similar to growing up in a home with indoor smokers.
"By age 18, the lungs of many children who grew up in smoggy areas were underdeveloped and would likely never recover. 'In other words, a significant fraction of children breathing polluted air throughout their teen years were transitioning into adulthood with lung function at least 20% below normal."
You can read more in the above link about the history of the study, the results and also its impact. Here is the link for the study- https://healthstudy.usc.edu/ and some of the study results here https://healthstudy.usc.edu/study-findings/
"For decades, studies have tracked birth outcomes among pregnant women exposed to air pollution, and the overall trend is clear: Air pollution, like PM2.5 and sulfur dioxide, is linked with miscarriage, low birth weight, and preterm birth." - www.parentingscience.com
2011 EPA report “National Emissions from Lawn care Equipment” reported these findings -https://www3.epa.gov/ttn/chief/conference/ei21/session10/banks.pdf
"Exposure to fine particulate matter (PM2.5) was associated with high symptoms of anxiety, with more recent exposures potentially more relevant than more distant exposures."
"Short-term exposure to particle pollution can kill...Deaths can occur on the very day that particle levels are high, or within one to two months afterward."
"Gaseous and particulate air pollutants have a marked and close temporal association with admission to hospital for stroke or mortality from stroke. Public and environmental health policies to reduce air pollution could reduce the burden of stroke."
"Outdoor air pollution and fine particulate matter are carcinogenic to humans, causing lung cancer and probably causing Bladder Cancer."
(My father worked outside as a builder in Darien around these machines for decades, and he died from Bladder Cancer.)
"Compared to adults, children’s bodies are more susceptible to PM2.5 pollution. Because of this, PM2.5. can cause many negative health effects in children including asthma, reduction in brain volume, behavioral dysfunction, ADHD, Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), and impaired lung growth. A mother’s exposure to PM2.5during her pregnancy increases the risk of premature birth, low birth weight, and stillbirth." - Global Observatory on Planetary Health from Boston College who tracks pollution research.
"There is also growing evidence that PM2.5 pollution decreases children’s intelligence. Performance IQ (PIQ), the type of intelligence that enables children to solve problems and react to new situations, seems to be the form of intelligence most strongly affected by air pollution. IQ scores are highly correlated with academic performance, standardized test scores and high-school graduation rates, and thus loss of IQ caused by air pollution prevents children from attaining their full potential." https://www.bc.edu/content/bc-web/centers/schiller-institute/sites/masscleanair/articles/children.html
"...the risk of Autism Spectrum Disorder increased by 64% with exposure to 10 micrograms of PM2.5 per cubic meter of air (mcg/m3) during early childhood and by 31% during prenatal periods. During the prenatal period, the greatest risk was found during the third trimester. The results also suggested that PM2.5 exposure could affect vulnerable populations even at low levels, below current regulations." https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/news/hsph-in-the-news/air-pollution-linked-with-increased-risk-of-autism-in-children/
Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC’s) include benzene, butadiene, acetaldehyde, formaldehyde, toluene, all part of gasoline combustion, are all known carcinogens that also contribute to the formation and worsening of smog. Direct exposure to these chemicals is known to cause Lymphoma, Leukemia and other blood cell Cancers.
"Carbon Monoxide (CO), a huge by-product from from gas- powered tools, dissipates into the air, but it may take 1-2 months. While it is still here, it is odorless and a serious health hazard. The most common symptoms of CO poisoning are headache, dizziness, weakness, upset stomach, vomiting, chest pain, and confusion. CO symptoms are often described as 'flu-like.' If you breathe in a lot of CO it can make you pass out or kill you."https://www.cdc.gov/co/faqs.htm#:~:text=The%20most%20common%20symptoms%20of,pass%20out%20or%20kill%20you
“The air we breathe has become polluted with a mixture of cancer-causing substances. We now know that outdoor air pollution is not only a major risk to health in general, but also a leading environmental cause of cancer deaths.” - Dr. Kurt Straif, a Head of the International Agency for Research on Cancer.
The 2011 EPA report “National Emissions from Lawn care Equipment” made a final recommendation-
"Communities, environmental and public health officials should create policies and programs to protect the public from GLGE air pollutants and promote non-polluting alternatives."
CLIMATE CHANGE IN NEW ENGLAND
On top of it, these fumes are all directly contributing to climate change and according to California's EPA, they are actually making a larger contribution to climate change than the cars and pickup trucks on the road.
New England is warming faster than anywhere else in the country and has surpassed the 1.5 degree threshold set by The United Nations. There has already been a3- 7 degree increase in our climate throughout the N.E. states according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. (https://www.providencejournal.com
The climate in Connecticut historically has always been damp and wet, but as the Hartford Courant reported in July 14, 2021- CT has been teetering between abnormally dry conditions and droughts since 2016. Since the publishing of this article in 2021, we have continued this pattern of teetering between drought like conditions and and lengthy abnormally dry weather.
The warmest 10 years on record in Connecticut have occurred since 1990, and half of them since 2010.
Massachusetts has experienced droughts in 2016, 2017, 2020, 2021 and 2022,” according to Vandana Rao, Director of Water Policy in Massachusetts.
The Gulf of Maine has warmed faster than 99% of the world's oceans.
Rhode Island has warmed nearly 4 degrees. According to the NOAA report, RI saw its greatest number of hot days and warm nights above the long-term average between 2015-2020. (This report was published back in 2020.)
This is a visual historical representation from NASA called “Global Temperature Anomalies from 1881 to 2021” where you can watch of the progression of heat wave patterns around our world starting from the industrial revolution in 1881, and continuing through until 2021.
The warmer the atmosphere is getting, the more it is altering weather and precipitation patterns. The increased heat is increasing moisture evaporation rates all around the world. This leads to overall drier weather, plus more frequent and severe heat waves. This increased evaporation dries out soil (which we are now seeing much more of In CT) which increases the wildfire risk. All of this has been leading to worsening water scarcity around the world which is very scary because we need water to grow food and to survive.
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You can read how climate change is affecting New England farmers:
https://www.pbs.org/newshour/economy/northeastern-farmers-face-new-challenges-amid-droughts-flooding
This next article is very interesting read for anyone who has a lawn:
https://www.onlynaturalenergy.com/grass-lawns-are-an-ecological-catastrophe/
The warmer the atmosphere is getting, the more it is altering weather and precipitation patterns. The increased heat is increasing moisture evaporation rates all around the world. This leads to overall drier weather, plus more frequent and severe heat waves. This increased evaporation dries out soil (which we are now seeing much more of In CT) which increases the wildfire risk. All of this has been leading to worsening water scarcity around the world which is very scary because we need water to grow food and to survive.
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“The air we breathe has become polluted with a mixture of cancer-causing substances. We now know that outdoor air pollution is not only a major risk to health in general, but also a leading environmental cause of cancer deaths.” - Dr. Kurt Straif, a Head of the International Agency for Research on Cancer.
The World Health Organization, The American Heart Association, The International Agency for Research on Cancer, The American Cancer Society, The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, The United States Environmental Protection Agency, The Center for Disease Control, The School of Population and Public Health at the University of British Columbia and other research groups all report that- Chronic exposure to fumes from the gas lawn mowers, leaf blowers and weed whackers is dangerous to our health short term, and has dire and life- threatening consequences with longer term exposure.
196
The Issue
Dear Community Members,
I grew up in Darien and have witnessed the dramatic worsening of our local air quality. You used to be able to get off the train and breathe in crisp and clean air. Now there is a haze that hangs over our town, and the air just smells stale or of gas fumes. The peace and quiet that Darien used to be known for is gone as well now, because all you hear is ear- piercing noise from leaf blowers.
There has been a sharpening increase in the use of leaf blowers by landscapers over the past decade- from more one month in the spring and one month in the fall to 9 months of the year. Not only this, but commercial landscapers are using 2-3 leaf blowers on one small yard at the same time in the summer when there is not a leaf in sight.
The emissions studies on gas leaf blowers, lawn mowers and weed whackers is really shocking. Leaf blowers emit 300 times more air pollution than a Nissan pick-up truck!
“In 2011, engineers at the car company Edmunds estimated that driving a Ford F-150 Raptor truck from Texas to Alaska would emit the same amount of air pollution as a mere half-hour of yard work with a two-stroke, gas-powered leaf blower. Indeed, Edmunds estimated that some gas leaf- blowers generate 23 times the carbon dioxide of the Raptor and 300 times more non-methane hydrocarbons...Worse yet, gas-powered leaf blowers also emit nitrous oxide. The EPA estimates that the impact of one pound of nitrous oxide on warming the atmosphere is almost 300 times that of an equivalent pound of carbon dioxide.”
A small push lawn mower emits a shocking amount of pollution- “A four stroke lawnmower operating for one hour equates to a vehicle traveling for 500 miles.”
https://psci.princeton.edu/tips/2020/5/11/law-maintenance-and-climate-change
The heavy commercial lawnmowers emit even more pollution than the small personal use ones do.
(All statistics and research referred to in this petition can be requested)
Small personal push gasoline lawn mowers are eleven times more polluting than a gasoline- powered car or pickup truck.
A gas riding lawnmower is even worse, as they emit as much pollution as 34 cars and 300 times more pollution than a small pick-up truck.
A four- stroke gas leaf blower releases almost 7 times more Nitrogen Oxide and Carbon Monoxide than one pick-up truck. 2 stroke leaf blowers are even worse.
A 2-cycle gas line trimmer produces as many emissions in one hour as one full size pickup truck traveling over 3000 miles.
These machines do not have any emission control components like cars or pickup trucks do, and are also unable to completely combust their fuel. On top of it-landscapers will often use a mixture of dirty fuel from auto repair shops, both of which further adds further significant pollution to the atmosphere.
20 years ago gas landscaping machines were estimated to be contributing 5-10% to total air pollution levels.
Now, long term studies by the EPA in California determined that by 2020, the use of gas landscaping machinery had grown so much that it was dumping more total air pollution into the air than the total number of California cars on the road.
With over 7000 single family homes in addition to the public properties and commercial properties in Darien, and everyone getting their lawns mowed every week and landscapers are using 2 to 3 leaf blowers at the same time on the same small yard nine months of the year and each of these machines are 300 times more polluting than any car or pick up truck on the road- these machines are dumping chronic dangerous amounts of exhaust fumes into our town's public air space- far more than any amount of cars that we drive on our roads all year long could ever do.
Decades of research shows that most of these fumes don't actually ever dissipate. They just instead float up and hang out in our airspace making our air smell stale and they also rise up and get trapped in our atmosphere- many of them for centuries.
“Fairfield County remains one of the most polluted counties in the nation…and is the most polluted county in the New York- Newark metro area with the highest ozone readings in the eastern US.” This report also states that Fairfield, Lichfield and New Haven counties all recorded more particulate pollution in 2022. - American Lung Association 2022 State of The Air Report
Fairfield, Middlesex, New Haven and New London counties have received an "F" for ozone levels, according to the 2023 American Lung Association's "State of the Air Report."
"Fairfield County air quality continues to score dismally for air quality, according to the American Lung Association’s 2023 'State of the Air' report, which was released today. In fact, the county is not only the most polluted in the entire New York-Newark metro area, it has the highest ozone readings anywhere in the eastern U.S." -
https://www.lung.org/media/press-releases/state-of-the-air-connecticut-2023
Landscapingprofessionals.org stated that the landscaping business has been growing at rate of about 5.3% a year since 2017 (which is the first year they only started tracking it). So- that original 5-10% contribution to air pollution levels from 20 years ago has ballooned into a significantly larger percentage of our country's air pollution. On top of it, these statistics dont take into account the landscaping companies are using 2-3 leaf blowers at the same time 9 months of the year instead of two months of the year.
Even manufacturers recognize that these gas landscaping machines are dangerous as they recommend anyone around these machines should be wearing protective gear. We are all walking by these machines not wearing any protective gear at all all day long, every single day 9 months of the year.
Long term health studies over 20 years on children’s exposure to ground level air pollution are extensive. These studies have have been showing that exposure to ground level air pollution causes a 20% reduction and permanent stunted lung growth in children.
More recent studies as reported by Harvard are also showing a strong link between exposure in pregnant women to kids who have learning disorders, as well as increased anxiety, and depression in kids. This newest research reported by Harvard is even showing that exposure in the womb in the third trimester is linked to a 64% spike in autism rates.
On top of it, the NOAA is finding that every New England state has already surpassed the 1.5 degree climate change threshold set by the UN. Every state has already surpassed it by 3 to 4° and Burlington Vermont‘a overall temperature change is the highest in the United States as it has already reached a 7° change increase only happened since 1970. The temperature of the water off of Maine has already warmed more than most any other bodies of water in the world.
"Climate change has caused a shift in the jet stream, which has prevented cold air from settling into the Northeast. This shift has resulted in winters warming at three times the rate of summers in the Northeast." - Climatologist Samantha Borisoff from Northeast Regional Climate Center to the Burlington Free Times on March 14, 2023. You can read more about the studies below this piece.
July 2023 has so far recorded the hottest temperatures ever recorded in 100,000 years. Here is the link for the article with more information-
The theory that landscapers need gas powered machines to operate a landscaping business has already been proven false as there is a growing list of local commercial landscapers who only use clean and machines.
NEW OPTIONS FOR HOMEOWNERS AND COMMERCIAL OPERATORS-
Companies now make lawnmowers, weed, whackers, and leaf blowers that run eight hours without a battery charge. Here is one company- https://meangreenproducts.com/
Homeowners can also purchase automated robot mowers (think Roomba for your lawn)- that not only mow your lawn for you, but one can pick up leaves, sticks, and other debris while it is mowing your lawn for you. The companies listed below sell these robot mowers that do not need perimeter wiring; you can set them up just using just your cell phone-
https://meangreenproducts.com/
https://mammotion.com/
https://www.ecoflow.com
https://egopowerplus.com/
Consumer Reports "2022 Leaf Blower Buying Guide" reviewed 51 battery-powered and electric leaf blowers from $58 to $599.44. They also reviewed 18 gas- powered leaf blowers from $110 to $479.45
Consumer Reports' "2022 Lawnmower and Tractor Buying Guide" reviewed 50 battery powered mowers from $164 to $1000. They also reviewed 42 models of gas-powered lawn mowers from $200 to $1604.
These new battery and electric powered machines not only release no fumes but they also operate at a much lower decibel than the old machines. "Gasoline mowers use internal combustion, or controlled explosions, to run the motor and turn the blades. An electric lawnmower, whether it’s a cordless mower or a corded mower, runs on just a flow of electrons. The only sources of noise are the airflow caused by the blades, and the sound of any moving parts. Especially if the mower has a modern brushless motor, which reduces friction." https://dfarq.homeip.net/are-electric-lawn-mowers-quiet/
"For example, your average electric mower or leaf blower is going to produce around 75 dB of noise (equivalent to a running washing machine) — granted, that’s only a 10dB difference between the gas and electric motors, but because decibels are measured along a logarithmic scale, it actually sounds nearly half as loud to the human ear....What’s more, electric engines (with their decided lack of moving parts) wear much more gently than their internal combustion counterparts: No spark plugs to replace, oil to change, gas-oil ratios to measure and pour.
Many professional-grade battery-powered tools come equipped with a brushless motor, which is virtually maintenance-free,' Stihl battery product manager, Paul Beblowski, told Engadget via email. 'With a battery — there’s no need to buy, transport, or store fuel. There’s no tune-up for an electric motor and no need to winterize. Aside from sharpening the cutting blade once a season or so, all owners really need to do is ensure the battery gets recharged before their next mowing session.'" https://www.engadget.com/best-headphones-150030794.html
These new machines are also much more user-friendly- you can just press a button to turn them on.
Mean Green Products also have a calculator to help commercial operators figure out the up-front investment cost and long-term savings for switching over- https://meangreenproducts.com/the-electric-advantage/
The taller your grass, the healthier your lawn. There is a direct correlation between the height of your grass and the depth of its roots. If you mow your lawn to four inches, you will have four inches of roots. By mowing your lawn less and keeping it little longer adds root mass, which makes your lawn naturally more drought & disease-resistant, provides natural weed control, and greatly reduces the amount of water or any weed control you may need.
You can also plant a hardier drought- resistant grass seed so you can save money on water, mowing and weed control.
If you have a smaller yard, you can buy an updated version of the cool old-fashioned manual reel mower and make it an excuse to skip the gym! https://www.popularmechanics.com
Studies conducted by the California Air Resources Board, the EPA and consumer review publications show that these new machines are significantly safer for the our air quality of our community-
Battery-powered lawn mowers emit about 1/100th of the smog-forming pollutants and greenhouse gases that gas-powered mowers emit.
A personal push gas lawn mower emits 8 times more Nitrogen Oxide (a major contributor to climate change as it just builds up in the atmosphere), 3,300 times more hydrocarbons and 5,000 times more Carbon Monoxide than an electric lawn mower.
A small push gas-powered lawn mower emits 4.4 pounds of CO2 per hour, whereas a typical electric lawn mower emits 0.9 pounds of CO2 per hour of use according to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
A typical gas-powered leaf blower can emit as much pollution in one hour as a car regular car being driven for 1100 miles. On the other hand, electric and battery- powered leaf blowers produce no emissions during use.
Consumer Reports has found that the cost range for these new landscaping machines is the same as similar gas- powered models:
Consumer Reports "2022 Leaf Blower Buying Guide" reviewed 51 battery-powered and electric leaf blowers from $58 to $599.44. They also reviewed 18 gas- powered leaf blowers from $110 to $479.45.
Consumer Reports' "2022 Lawnmower and Tractor Buying Guide" reviewed 50 battery powered mowers from $164 to $1000. They also reviewed 42 models of gas-powered lawn mowers from $200 to $1604.
The Federal government also offers a rebate to consumers and commercial operators for purchasing clean machines up to $2500. You can also sell your old machines for scrap at local metal yards and get some money back that way too.
The town of Darien regulates the way businesses in Darien operate all of the time and in every capacity. They even regulate the size of the sign a business owner can use to even advertise their business. But, when it comes to the town's public health and safety, the town has been silent and avoidant when it comes to protecting our town's public health when it comes to how businesses operate within our town borders. While the town regulates minute things like the size of signs, the town has been allowing businesses from out of town to operate with no oversight and no regulation at all any which way they want, leaving our public health in the hands people who don’t even live here.
CONNECTICUT LAWS ON NOISE POLLUTION AND FUMES
There is a state law that fumes-
"Section 22a-174-23 of the Regulations of Connecticut State Agencies states in part that "no person shall cause or permit the emission of any substance or combination of substances which creates or contributes to an odor, in the ambient air, that constitutes a nuisance."
Also, In the state of Connecticut, any sound over 100 decibels on any one property is against the law according to Statutes Chapter 442 Noise Pollution Control-
"(b) No person shall cause or allow the emission of impulse noise in excess of 100 dB peak sound pressure at any time to any noise zone." It also states in, Sec. 22a-69-3.1, "No person shall cause or allow the emission of excessive noise beyond the boundaries of his/her noise zone so as to violate any provisions of these Regulations.”
"(a) The legislature finds and declares that: (1) Excessive noise is a serious hazard to the health, welfare and quality of life of the citizens of the state of Connecticut; (2) exposure to certain levels of noise can result in physiological, psychological and economic damage; (3) a substantial body of science and technology exists by which excessive noise may be substantially abated; (4) the primary responsibility for control of noise rests with the state and the political subdivisions thereof; (5) each person has a right to an environment free from noise that may jeopardize his health, safety or welfare."
It turns out that this law actually regulates landscaping machinery-
"(m) lawn care and maintenance equipment means all engine or motor-powered garden or maintenance tools intended for repetitive use in residential areas, typically capable of being used by a homeowner, and including, but not limited to, lawn mowers, riding tractors, snowblowers, and including equipment intended for infrequent service work in inhabited areas, typically requiring skilled operators, including, but not limited to, chain saws, log chippers or paving rollers."
https://eregulations.ct.gov/eRegsPortal/Browse/RCSA/Title_22aSubtitle_22a-69Section_22a-69-1/ & https://noisefree.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/connecticut.pdf
Gas powered lawn mowers, leaf blowers and weed whackers are cheaply made without emission control components like catalytic converters and muffler systems. They also have thin metal casings with no sound insulation and the engine of the mower is outside, instead of inside like a car. There are a number of reasons why they are so loud. Gas combustion in general is extremely loud and without these noise barriers like cars have, all of these machines are ear piercing.
While one of these commercial gas- powered machines can surpass the legal 100 decibel limit alone but problem is that multiple machines are being used at once on one property which is breaking the legal sound limit by 3 or more times.
On top of it, "To put the numbers in perspective, you should understand that the sound level number can be deceiving. We use decibel (or dB) as the unit for sound intensity, but the scale is logarithmic. This means that a 10dB increase feels like 2 times louder. And a sound above 85dB can already cause hearing loss when you are close to it and experience it for a long time." https://www.gardentoolexpert.com/how-many-decibels-does-a-lawnmower-produce-and-what-lawnmower-type-is-quieter/
Push Lawn Mower: 86-92
Riding Lawn Mower: 90-106
Leaf blower: 95-115
Lawn Edger: 98-106
The only machine listed that doesn’t risk push the state's noise pollution limit is the personal push lawn mower. Again though, its not the individual machine that is the problem in town it is the commercial use of having multiple machines operating at the same time that is violating the state sound pollution law and dangerous to our hearing in even the short term.
The CDC states that- "noise above 70 dB over a prolonged period of time may start to damage your hearing, but noise levels at 105–110 decibels can cause hearing loss in less than five minutes." https://www.cdc.gov/nceh/hearing_loss/what_noises_cause_hearing_loss.html
You can read about noise levels and the effects on our public health- https://aftonvilla.com/the-noise-level-of-riding-lawn-mowers-understanding-the-risks-and-how-to-reduce-the-sound/
The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) provides a noise measuring app that you can use to measure noise levels if you have an iOS-based phone. https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/noise
Darien has to enforce Connecticut state laws, and the town, even has its own noise ordinance and It simply states that Darien is to enforce the noise restrictions as defined by the state of CT noise laws. You can find that here-
https://portal.ct.gov/-/media/DEEP/air/noise/ordinances/DarienNoiseOrdinanceOLDERpdf.pdf
Darien has the ability to make its own ordinances to enforce the state law on noise pollution without any state oversight-
"municipalities are no longer required to have their ordinances reviewed and approved by DEEP. Connecticut General Statutes section 22a-73 “Any such municipal noise control ordinance shall be at least as stringent as any state noise control plan” which can found in 22a-69-1.1 et seq. of the Regulations of Connecticut State Agencies." https://www.cga.ct.gov/2022/ACT/PA/PDF/2022PA-00143-R00SB-00238-PA.PDF
With over 7000 single family residences, plus commercial properties, apartment complexes and public property- our town is consistently pumping out dangerous levels of air pollution ten hours a day. This is putting everyone who lives in town or works here at serious risk. On top of it, short term exposure to the excessive noise in one yard alone carries a huge risk of permanent hearing damage in just a five minute exposure. These machines are a serious public health problem for our community.
According to the Darien Health Department's mission statement-
“Mission of the Health Department: Prevent disease, by promoting a safe community and healthy environment to all residents and visitors, while upholding public health based regulations, which protect the quality of life.
The 2011 EPA report “National Emissions from Lawn care Equipment” made a final recommendation-
"Communities, environmental and public health officials should create policies and programs to protect the public from GLGE air pollutants and promote non-polluting alternatives."
The pervasive use of commercial operated gas powered lawn mowers, leaf blowers and weed whackers has wrecked and is continuing to worsen the local air quality in our town. All we breathe and smell now is stale air or fumes. These fumes and the noise makes this a serious public health problem for our community since we share our air.
We can’t keep blaming far off countries, factories or far off corporations when research through California's EPA showed that in 2020 the use of these machines is creating more total air pollution than the number of the own state's registered cars on the road.
Buying an electric car will not even begin to offset the pollution coming from these machines as research is showing that just one of these small engine gas guzzlers is 11-34 times worse than any gasoline powered car or pick-up truck on the road
The easiest solution is to follow the lead of other communities around the country, like what Aspen Colorado has already done, and what Dallas Texas is working on passing, (a complete ban on all use of gas landscaping machines) and create an ordinance but here in town, since it’s not homeowner's use that is the problem- we can create a scaled down version that just addresses landscapers use, which could read-
“Ban on the commercial operators’ use of gas powered lawn mowers, leaf blowers and weed whackers in Darien CT between Memorial Day and Labor Day.”
This ordinance will address the town of Darien's requirement and need to enforce state environmental laws to protect it's residents and the people who work here, but most importantly, unwind the dangerous fumes that now hang in our town which causes our air to now smell stale, but also it will fix the noise complaints, all of which restores the serene and peaceful and healthy quality of life that Darien used to be known for. It will also leave some flexibility for the spring and the fall for leaf blowers (unless they are banned altogether) so that they can be used for spring and fall cleanup until better batter leaf blowers are mainstream.
The ban would be very easy to enforce since it is clear cut and also companies will naturally migrate their use over as they are well aware that bans like this are happening all across the country already. Darien is years behind everyone else.
In 2022, the United Nations signed a declaration stating that everyone has a right to clean air, water and a stable environment.
“There is no room left for equivocating, no time left for debate. Clean air is not an optional policy objective. It’s a fundamental human right.
Everyone needs to breathe clean air. That billions of people today are breathing dirty, deadly air constitutes a global health, environmental and human rights crisis. The solutions are known and simply need to be implemented. Not only do we have an extraordinary opportunity to save tens of millions of lives in the decades ahead by reducing air pollution, we have a moral and legal obligation to do so.” - David R. Boyd, United Nations Special Rapporteur (reporter)
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"Ground-level ozone can harm the lungs. It forms when chemicals mix with sunlight. This ozone pollution is a main part of smog — the brownish-yellow haze often seen hanging over cities on the horizon. It's worse on warmer days or in warm parts of the country." https://kidshealth.org/en/parents/ozone-asthma.html
Breathing ozone and particulates triggers immediate allergic symptoms including chest tightness, cough, throat irritation and congestion.
"Extensive evidence exists on the adverse health effects of exhaust emissions and other fine particulates which include cardiovascular disease, stroke, respiratory disease, cancer, neurological conditions, premature death, and effects on pre-natal development." https://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2015-09/documents/banks.pdf
A Southern California Children’s Health ongoing study tracking children ages 10 to 18 starting from 1993 found the impact of growing up around constant air pollution is similar to growing up in a home with indoor smokers.
"By age 18, the lungs of many children who grew up in smoggy areas were underdeveloped and would likely never recover. 'In other words, a significant fraction of children breathing polluted air throughout their teen years were transitioning into adulthood with lung function at least 20% below normal."
You can read more in the above link about the history of the study, the results and also its impact. Here is the link for the study- https://healthstudy.usc.edu/ and some of the study results here https://healthstudy.usc.edu/study-findings/
"For decades, studies have tracked birth outcomes among pregnant women exposed to air pollution, and the overall trend is clear: Air pollution, like PM2.5 and sulfur dioxide, is linked with miscarriage, low birth weight, and preterm birth." - www.parentingscience.com
2011 EPA report “National Emissions from Lawn care Equipment” reported these findings -https://www3.epa.gov/ttn/chief/conference/ei21/session10/banks.pdf
"Exposure to fine particulate matter (PM2.5) was associated with high symptoms of anxiety, with more recent exposures potentially more relevant than more distant exposures."
"Short-term exposure to particle pollution can kill...Deaths can occur on the very day that particle levels are high, or within one to two months afterward."
"Gaseous and particulate air pollutants have a marked and close temporal association with admission to hospital for stroke or mortality from stroke. Public and environmental health policies to reduce air pollution could reduce the burden of stroke."
"Outdoor air pollution and fine particulate matter are carcinogenic to humans, causing lung cancer and probably causing Bladder Cancer."
(My father worked outside as a builder in Darien around these machines for decades, and he died from Bladder Cancer.)
"Compared to adults, children’s bodies are more susceptible to PM2.5 pollution. Because of this, PM2.5. can cause many negative health effects in children including asthma, reduction in brain volume, behavioral dysfunction, ADHD, Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), and impaired lung growth. A mother’s exposure to PM2.5during her pregnancy increases the risk of premature birth, low birth weight, and stillbirth." - Global Observatory on Planetary Health from Boston College who tracks pollution research.
"There is also growing evidence that PM2.5 pollution decreases children’s intelligence. Performance IQ (PIQ), the type of intelligence that enables children to solve problems and react to new situations, seems to be the form of intelligence most strongly affected by air pollution. IQ scores are highly correlated with academic performance, standardized test scores and high-school graduation rates, and thus loss of IQ caused by air pollution prevents children from attaining their full potential." https://www.bc.edu/content/bc-web/centers/schiller-institute/sites/masscleanair/articles/children.html
"...the risk of Autism Spectrum Disorder increased by 64% with exposure to 10 micrograms of PM2.5 per cubic meter of air (mcg/m3) during early childhood and by 31% during prenatal periods. During the prenatal period, the greatest risk was found during the third trimester. The results also suggested that PM2.5 exposure could affect vulnerable populations even at low levels, below current regulations." https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/news/hsph-in-the-news/air-pollution-linked-with-increased-risk-of-autism-in-children/
Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC’s) include benzene, butadiene, acetaldehyde, formaldehyde, toluene, all part of gasoline combustion, are all known carcinogens that also contribute to the formation and worsening of smog. Direct exposure to these chemicals is known to cause Lymphoma, Leukemia and other blood cell Cancers.
"Carbon Monoxide (CO), a huge by-product from from gas- powered tools, dissipates into the air, but it may take 1-2 months. While it is still here, it is odorless and a serious health hazard. The most common symptoms of CO poisoning are headache, dizziness, weakness, upset stomach, vomiting, chest pain, and confusion. CO symptoms are often described as 'flu-like.' If you breathe in a lot of CO it can make you pass out or kill you."https://www.cdc.gov/co/faqs.htm#:~:text=The%20most%20common%20symptoms%20of,pass%20out%20or%20kill%20you
“The air we breathe has become polluted with a mixture of cancer-causing substances. We now know that outdoor air pollution is not only a major risk to health in general, but also a leading environmental cause of cancer deaths.” - Dr. Kurt Straif, a Head of the International Agency for Research on Cancer.
The 2011 EPA report “National Emissions from Lawn care Equipment” made a final recommendation-
"Communities, environmental and public health officials should create policies and programs to protect the public from GLGE air pollutants and promote non-polluting alternatives."
CLIMATE CHANGE IN NEW ENGLAND
On top of it, these fumes are all directly contributing to climate change and according to California's EPA, they are actually making a larger contribution to climate change than the cars and pickup trucks on the road.
New England is warming faster than anywhere else in the country and has surpassed the 1.5 degree threshold set by The United Nations. There has already been a3- 7 degree increase in our climate throughout the N.E. states according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. (https://www.providencejournal.com
The climate in Connecticut historically has always been damp and wet, but as the Hartford Courant reported in July 14, 2021- CT has been teetering between abnormally dry conditions and droughts since 2016. Since the publishing of this article in 2021, we have continued this pattern of teetering between drought like conditions and and lengthy abnormally dry weather.
The warmest 10 years on record in Connecticut have occurred since 1990, and half of them since 2010.
Massachusetts has experienced droughts in 2016, 2017, 2020, 2021 and 2022,” according to Vandana Rao, Director of Water Policy in Massachusetts.
The Gulf of Maine has warmed faster than 99% of the world's oceans.
Rhode Island has warmed nearly 4 degrees. According to the NOAA report, RI saw its greatest number of hot days and warm nights above the long-term average between 2015-2020. (This report was published back in 2020.)
This is a visual historical representation from NASA called “Global Temperature Anomalies from 1881 to 2021” where you can watch of the progression of heat wave patterns around our world starting from the industrial revolution in 1881, and continuing through until 2021.
The warmer the atmosphere is getting, the more it is altering weather and precipitation patterns. The increased heat is increasing moisture evaporation rates all around the world. This leads to overall drier weather, plus more frequent and severe heat waves. This increased evaporation dries out soil (which we are now seeing much more of In CT) which increases the wildfire risk. All of this has been leading to worsening water scarcity around the world which is very scary because we need water to grow food and to survive.
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You can read how climate change is affecting New England farmers:
https://www.pbs.org/newshour/economy/northeastern-farmers-face-new-challenges-amid-droughts-flooding
This next article is very interesting read for anyone who has a lawn:
https://www.onlynaturalenergy.com/grass-lawns-are-an-ecological-catastrophe/
The warmer the atmosphere is getting, the more it is altering weather and precipitation patterns. The increased heat is increasing moisture evaporation rates all around the world. This leads to overall drier weather, plus more frequent and severe heat waves. This increased evaporation dries out soil (which we are now seeing much more of In CT) which increases the wildfire risk. All of this has been leading to worsening water scarcity around the world which is very scary because we need water to grow food and to survive.
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“The air we breathe has become polluted with a mixture of cancer-causing substances. We now know that outdoor air pollution is not only a major risk to health in general, but also a leading environmental cause of cancer deaths.” - Dr. Kurt Straif, a Head of the International Agency for Research on Cancer.
The World Health Organization, The American Heart Association, The International Agency for Research on Cancer, The American Cancer Society, The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, The United States Environmental Protection Agency, The Center for Disease Control, The School of Population and Public Health at the University of British Columbia and other research groups all report that- Chronic exposure to fumes from the gas lawn mowers, leaf blowers and weed whackers is dangerous to our health short term, and has dire and life- threatening consequences with longer term exposure.
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Petition created on April 23, 2023