Lawn Care Goes Electric: Environment America Makes the Case for Moving from Gas to Electric Leaf Blowers

Since the 1970s, gas-powered leaf blowers have become ubiquitous across the United States, with the roar of their fossil-fuel-burning engines adding cacophony to rural, suburban, and urban communities alike. But the noise pollution they add pales in comparison to the smog-forming pollution they produce, with just one hour of operation of one of these devices adding the equivalent to that of a passenger car driving 1,100 miles. 

In 2023 The Overbrook Foundation commissioned a study by Environment America on the environmental impact of leaf blowers, making the case for switching to electric versions. We encourage you to read the full study here. You can also read the Washington Post’s coverage of the report here.