Leaves are an organic winter blanket.
Managing Leaves on the Lawn
This autumn, leave the leaves, flower heads & plant stems for overwintering birds and insects. This will provide winter food and bird nest building material come spring. Why? Because of loss of larval hosts; overwintering forage and nesting habitat loss. It is time we changed our harmful practices by decolonizing our lawns in favour of pollinator patches & meadow gardens. Nature doesn't like neat and tidy cookie cutter lawns and is depending on us to replenish the natural ecosystem, so put the leaf blower away and use a rake. Municipalities need to also get with the program, updating bylaws, encouraging, rather than penalizing biodiversity & habitat gardens.
Incorporating native plants into landscaping is a sustainable choice that offers numerous benefits. You can minimize the size of your lawn by planting garden beds with native plants. Choosing native plants for landscaping reduces the need for extensive lawn areas. Native plants adapt to local conditions, require less pampering, support local wildlife, and minimize the need for frequent watering, mowing and leaf blowing. Municipalities need to also get with the program, updating bylaws, encouraging, rather than penalizing biodiversity & habitat gardens.
Change your lawn care
Fortunately, there’s a better way to maintain a tidy lawn. Electric lawn equipment, such as electric leaf blowers and mowers, emits zero planet-warming emissions. Transitioning to quieter, electric lawn care tools is a crucial step towards a more sustainable future. They not only help in reducing noise pollution but also contribute to cleaner air, reducing the harmful and toxic emissions associated with the two-stroke, gas-powered leaf blower. Due to improved technology, their costs have come down and the sale of gas-powered leaf blowers are phasing out. Over time, lower fuel and maintenance costs are less when you go electric. It’s a win-win for both homeowners and the landscape industry.
Other actions
Educate your neighbours and building management about the harm caused by noisy 2 stroke gas-powered leaf blowers.
Tell your city councillor you want the city to transition from the use of gas- powered leaf blowers.
Join Gasbusters in our campaign to ban gas-powered leaf blowers and related garden equipment and we’ll keep you informed of the latest developments and how to make your opinion heard.
