My neighbor Larry changed my mind about leaf blowers

He's the guy with the big gas blower every Sunday morning. I always judged him. Then he told me his wife has a lung condition and the doc said mold spores from wet leaves could trigger attacks. Said he has to clear every single leaf before it even has a chance to break down. Made me realize I was just seeing the noise, not the reason. Anyone else have a moment where you totally misread someone's climate choice?

2 comments

2 Comments

kim_sanchez1919d ago

Understand that wet leaves can still release mold spores before they fully break down though.

abbyl4919d ago

Start thinking about how wet leaves actually change the pH of the soil underneath them. As they break down, especially oak and maple leaves, they release tannins and acids that can drop the pH pretty significantly. That shift can kill off the helpful bacteria and fungi that normally keep mold spores in check, so you get more mold because the natural balance is wrecked. Plus, that same acidic environment actually preserves some mold spores longer since they're adapted to acid conditions. So it's not just the moisture holding spores, it's the chemical changes that happen in the leaf pile that nobody talks about. If you want less mold, you need to break down those leaves faster by shredding them.