Sweeping Away a Major Source of Pollution

February 2, 2019 9:00 AM
by Andrew Basmajian

A version of this article originally appeared in the January edition of Seascape. 

While it’s easy to point to the cars and trucks in our neighborhoods, we often overlook smaller, yet potentially more significant sources of pollution. For example, a conventional gas-powered leaf blower, operated for just one hour, emits the same amount of pollution as driving 1,110 miles. That’s the distance from here to Denver! To help clear the air, Santa Monica has banned all gas-powered leaf blowers. But that ban is only effective if our residents and businesses know about it and require their landscape services to use alternative methods.

Want to learn more about the City’s leaf blower ban? Visit smgov.net/leafblower.

LET’S CLEAR THE AIR

Our fossil-fueled vehicles contribute to the majority of our poor air quality. Thankfully, finding cleaner alternatives is easier than ever before. With electric scooters and bikes, people have more mobility options. The City is working to increase the safety and convenience of walking, biking and scooting. If you still need to drive, consider an electric vehicle. Electric vehicles emit no tailpipe emissions, which means cleaner air for everyone. The City is increasing the availability of public charging stations to make it easier to own an electric vehicle, even in an apartment. To learn more about electric vehicles and charging, visit smgov.net/electricvehicles.

Authored By

Andrew Basmajian
Sustainable Outreach Coordinator