Autumn can be golden. But it can also be very loud. The caretaker from the neighboring settlement recently took out his leaf blower and “swept” the entrance area of an apartment building with it. A few leaves flew around, as well as dust and dirt. As usual, the device roared at a circular saw volume, it’s always amazing the noise these things make. Then a window opened on the first floor.
One resident stuck his head out and yelled angrily, “Louder! Louder! Louder!” A noise duel developed between the leaf blower and the howler. The caretaker looked frightened and switched off his machine. As a result, one of those awkward conversations ensued between a dutiful employee going about his work with the device that was provided to him. And an annoyed resident who just doesn’t want to endure the 100 decibels anymore. And would like to give the caretaker a broom, but he refuses.
The user of the leaf blower inhales all kinds of pollutants
What does this have to do with the climate problem? Climate protection is always nature conservation, and these leaf blowers have been proven to be a huge problem for biodiversity, especially for microorganisms, insects, hedgehogs, etc. In addition, the caretaker practically poisons himself with the thing, because all sorts of pollutants are thrown up, allegedly even powdered dog excrement, and he then inhales this dust. And thirdly, the noise devices also need petrol, what with one leaf blowers would not be tragic, but with hundreds of thousands it would be.
And so the question arises: Why are such devices allowed to be manufactured, distributed and used at all? When all they really do is damage? And this question also arises in connection with climate and environmental protection in other areas. Why are car manufacturers allowed to offer huge bodies even though there is no longer any room for them in the cities? Why are people allowed to fly from Munich to Stuttgart, even though the train is almost as fast? Why are people actually allowed to continue to drive global warming, although everyone now knows that this causes huge damage and a lot of suffering?
The answer is probably because they can. Because many believe that they have personal advantages from it. Because that’s how they make money. Someone else should take care of the big picture. For example, the actors at the 27th World Climate Conference, which will take place in Egypt in November. Leaf blowers will probably not play a role there. That’s why I’m asking the question here: Are you also annoyed by the noise devices? Or do they get lost in the din of the world and are actually not that bad?
Please send your opinion to [email protected].
(This text is from the weekly Newsletter climate friday you here for free can order.)