OPINION: Stop CO2 Pollution From Leaf Blowers
“…less disruptive than the recently proposed City ordinances (aka Reach Codes) to disband natural-gas appliances.”
A simple way for the City of Piedmont to reduce greenhouse gases (GNG) would be to enforce its existing ordinance that bans gasoline-powered leaf blowers, voluntarily direct city workers to cease using gasoline-powered leaf blowers, and to implement hefty fines for failure to abide. According to the California Air Resource Board (CARB) 1 hour of gas powered leaf blower use is equivalent to 1,100 auto miles. Gasoline powered lawn mowers produce about 25% of the GNG that leaf blowers do.
This approach to reducing GNG is far easier and much less disruptive than the recently proposed City ordinances (aka Reach Codes) to disband natural-gas appliances. And it would greatly reduce Piedmont’s noise pollution as well.
Dai Meagher, Piedmont Resident
The reach codes don’t “disband” natural gas appliances, The Reach codes will not require you to remove any natural gas appliance from your home or prevent you from adding one to your remodel. They just make their use more efficiient. Do a $25k remodel, insulate your attic and use less NG. Do a $100k remodel, insulate attic and water heater and use less NG. These simple energy efficiency steps will reduce much more GHG than the leaf blower prohibition. And save money.
The REACH code is too much. This should be brought to an all city vote.