At the November TPNA Board meeting, guest speakers Ellen Reckhow, former County Commissioner, and Chay’La Hart, NCCU Senior and outreach intern with New Hope Audubon Society, educated us about the “Leave Your Leaves” initiative, describing the enormous environmental and economic benefits of letting the falling autumn leaves remain in your yard.
Fallen leaves create important habitat for our favorite insects to lay their eggs. Many butterflies, moths and fireflies “overwinter” in leaf litter as caterpillars, chrysalises, or eggs. And the baby birds in the springtime will depend on those caterpillars for their food. Leaf litter also works like a sponge in heavy rain, mitigating flooding and filtering water as it flows to our drinking water sources, while keeping trees and plants hydrated.
Leaving your leaves will also decrease noise and air pollution (from blowers and trucks to haul leaves away). Most landscape crews use gas-powered leaf blowers, which are loud and very polluting. Did you know that running one for an hour generates air pollution equivalent to driving 2016 Toyoda Camry for 1,100 miles?! California has even enacted legislation to regulate them after July 1, 2022, and ban their sale before the start of 2024.
Instead of paying to have your leaves removed, try using them as mulch. You’ll save time and energy, reduce pollution, and help the environment in many ways! Learn more at https://keepdurhambeautiful.org/leaveyourleaves.
Watch the presentation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oh76tq0t2u4
Make the pledge! Go to https://keepdurhambeautiful.org/pledge-to-leave-your-leaves and pledge to leave your leaves, and you’ll get a yard sign to show your support of the initiative.
See also
https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a38004981/california-ban-gas-powered-lawn-equipment/
or
https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2021-10-09/california-moves-toward-ban-on-gas-lawnmowers-and-leaf-blowers
