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Providence Noise Project News
"Noise is the New Smoking"
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Join the Noise Project's New Leafblower Committee
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One of the most consistently reported sources of noise by participants in our Community Noise Survey is gas-powered leafblowers, particularly among residents of the East Side, South Providence, and (to a lesser degree) Federal Hill / West End.
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This isn't surprising, because gas leafblowers have been an issue in communities across the U.S. for decades, as far back as the 1970s. Their two-stroke motors* are very loud (85+ dB) — especially for those operating them without proper hearing protection — and contribute disproportionately to climate-altering air pollution. This has led to restrictions on the times of day and duration of their use, and in some cases to outright bans on leafblowers or two-stroke motors themselves.
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Luckily, the development of battery-powered tools such as electric drills has led to similar electric-powered alternatives to gas leafblowers. The issue now is getting homeowners and landscaping companies to adopt the newer technology. To hasten that transition, the Noise Project is forming a Leafblower Committee to work with the city, state, and powertool and landscaping companies to try to incentivize leafblower users to exchange their gas models for electric ones.
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We need city residents who are affected by leafblower noise to join the committee, help spread the word about its proposals and activities, and otherwise assist in bringing about long-overdue changes to landscaping / property-maintenance practices. We've created a new leafblower page on the PNP website to provide more information on the issue and proposed responses, and invite anyone who is interested to contact the leafblower committee to find out how you can help.
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* These same motors are also used in other noisy outdoor tools such as lawnmowers, chainsaws, and hedge trimmers, as well as mini-bikes, go-karts, and outboard engines.
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If you'd like to volunteer your time or expertise to help address noise in Providence, please feel free to contact us
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