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Comment by mhb | Hacker News Reader

> people and companies have to buy new leaf blowers and batteries

It seems hopelessly anachronistic and impractical, but why can't rakes be an alternative? It would take more time, but the landscapers would be paid more if they're working hourly.

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Much of the leaf blower usage in my area is just to blow the grass clippings back onto the lawn when they end up in the street/driveway/parking lot/sidewalk/etc. If the mower just had a mulching system which trapped the cut grass under itself, then there'd be no need to blow the cut grass at all, it would already be on the lawn.

It's funny to me watching the lawn crews get out their blowers at the end of every mow to blow the grass clippings. It seems like such a waste of time, and hence money to pay them for that labor. Simply preventing the need for using a leaf blower seems like something someone should solve for these lawn crews.

Many mowers do have a mulching setting, but you will still get grass clippings all over the sidewalk.

My mower has a mulcher, but it isn't the mower that's the problem. It's the edger. Gotta get the remains from that off the sidewalk afterwards.

I have all electric tools and it's amazing how quiet they are. My neighbor laughed at me for wearing hearing protection until I told him they have Bluetooth in them. ;)

> landscapers would be paid more

Landscapers with leafblowers would outcompete landscapers with rakes.

I think the point was that since they banned gas leaf blowers, they might as well have banned all leaf blowers, leaving nothing but hand tools. Of course someone could invent a hand-cranked blower or something... would be interesting to see exactly what loopholes in the legal wording people would find.

What? No. There's still electric leaf blowers allowed. They exist and work fine (but are a little more expensive)

Yes, I know. Parent was proposing a hypothetical scenario.

I'd just use air from a motorized large volume air compressor with a long spray attachment. Technically, not a leaf blower. Ahh malicious compliance!

You can't rake grass clippings off the sidewalk.

But... I suppose you can sweep them with a broom.

My house has a lot of small rock landscaping for water drainage. You can't rake the leaves over that without taking all the rock with it.

One or two minutes of use should be enough to get those spots. The real issue is people who run things things for an hour. A time limit per day would be ideal.

Leaf blowers are useful for things other than literally blowing leaves. I use one to dust out my car, garage, and also clean vacuum filters. Very carefully used it can dust off old PCs and laptops as well

a) Rakes

b) Double digit minimum wage

c) Being able to afford a landscaper.

Pick two.

I own a rake and use it my damn self, which shouldn't matter but probably does.

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