Petition pushes for ban on gas-powered leaf blowers in Calgary
An online petition calling on the City of Calgary to ban the use of gas-powered leaf blowers has garnered more than 1,500 signatures.
The petition from Project Calgary asks city council members to act on the declaration of a climate emergency by banning the leaf blowers, which it states are bad for the environment,
The petition says the noise created by gas-powered leaf blowers also impacts the quality of life and mental health of residents in Calgary.
"It’s 100 decibels of noise at four in the morning because somebody hired a company to blow snowflakes off their sidewalk next door to you and I think anyone I think would understand how ridiculous that is," says Peter Oliver with Project Calgary.
Some cities in the U.S. have issued a similar ban, and California is exploring banning the sale of gas-powered leaf blowers and lawn mowers by 2024 in a move to curb carbon emissions.
The California Air Resource Board had compared the pollution created by using a gas-powered leaf blower for an hour to driving 1,770 kilometres.
Some Canadian cities are considering or moving forward with similar bans including Vancouver, Toronto and Ottawa, something petition organizers say should be easy for Calgary council to get behind.
"It really felt like this was the time to work with our city council to take meaningful action, climate action, and gas leaf blowers are a real simple low hanging fruit compared to a lot of the climate challenges we face," says Oliver.
The petition's phased out proposal is receiving mixed reviews from city councillors, although many are open to the discussing a possible ban and environmental impacts.
"I’ve had people in my own neighborhood, friends of mine reach out about this," says ward 12 councillor Evan Spencer. "I think it’s a conversation we need to look into."
Ward 9 councillor Gina-Carlo Carra agrees but says there is still a lot to be learned about what role city council can play and how affordable other options are for administration and residents.
"It really is annoying to people and when you consider, you know, the environmental impacts it's pretty significant so, kudos to the residents who are raising this and doing so effectively using social media," he says.
Ward 13 councillor Dan McLean says he hasn’t received complaints about leaf blowers from residents and says there are more pressing issues for council to concentrate on.
"What happens is you ban the leaf blower and then what’s next, ban the lawnmower?” McLean said. “We have bigger fish to fry than the gas-powered leaf blower at this point - that’s all I have to say."
Currently in Calgary a leaf-blower or snow-blower can be used any time day or night during a 48 hour window for snow removal otherwise residents do have to abide with noise bylaws.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Expert warns of food consumption habits amid rising prices
A new survey by Dalhousie University's Agri-Food Analytics Lab asked Canadians about their food consumption habits amid rising prices.
Documents reveal Ottawa's efforts to get Loblaw, Walmart on board with grocery code
It was evident to the federal government as early as last fall that Loblaw and Walmart might be holdouts to the grocery code of conduct, jeopardizing the project's success.
opinion The special relationship between King Charles and the Princess of Wales
Royal commentator Afua Hagan writes that when King Charles recently admitted Catherine to the Order of the Companions of Honour, it not only made history, but it reinforced the strong bond between the King and his beloved daughter-in-law.
Charlie Woods, son of Tiger, shoots 81 in U.S. Open qualifier
Charlie Woods failed to advance in a U.S. Open local qualifying event Thursday, shooting a 9-over 81 at Legacy Golf & Tennis Club.
Improve balance and build core strength with this exercise
When it comes to cardiovascular fitness, you may tend to focus on activities that move you forward, such as walking, running and cycling.
New Norad commander calls Canada's defence policy update 'very encouraging'
American troops will be spending more time training in the Far North, the new commander of Norad says, a strategy that fits 'hand-in-glove' with Canada's renewed focus on Arctic defence.
B.C. tenants evicted for landlord's use after refusing large rent increase to take over neighbouring suite
Ashley Dickey and her mother rented part of the same Coquitlam duplex in three different decades under three different landlords.
Mountain guide dies after falling into a crevasse in Banff National Park
A man who fell into a crevasse while leading a backcountry ski group deep in the Canadian Rockies has died.
$70M Lotto Max winners kept prize a secret from family for 2 months
During a special winner celebration near their hometown, Doug and Enid shared the story of how they discovered they were holding a Lotto Max ticket worth $70 million and how they kept this huge secret for so long.