HISTORY OF THE BLOWER
Copied from: www.nonoise.org/quietnet/cqs/leafblow.htm#history
Copied from: www.nonoise.org/quietnet/cqs/leafblow.htm#history
19th century
Japanese gardeners invent hand-held bellows to remove leaves and twigs from moss-covered soil. (1)
About 1970
Japanese engineers modernize the hand-operated blower by attaching a hose and a powerful motor. (1)
1970s
Gas blowers introduced to U.S. (2,3)
1975
Carmel bans the blower.
1976
Beverly Hills bans blowers, saying they are nuisances. (4)
1985
75,000 backpack blowers sold. (1)
1986
West Hollywood, CA bans gas blowers.
1987
·464,000 units sold. (5)
·Belvedere, CA bans gas-powered blowers.
1989
·About 800,000 machines sold
·millions now in use with California leading the nation. (1,5)
1990
·Indian Wells, CA bans leaf blowers.
·Piedmont, CA bans gas-powered blowers.
·City of Claremont stops using leaf blowers in the maintenance of city property and finds no net increase in labor hours. (6)
1991
·Ad Hoc Committee to Ban Leaf Blowers asks the Sacramento City Council to ban leaf blowers; Council passes noise and time restrictions.
·Berkeley, CA City Council bans gas blowers.
·Los Altos, CA bans gas blowers by popular vote.
·Claremont, CA bans gas blowers.
1993
·Laguna Beach, CA bans all leaf blowers.
·Mill Valley, CA bans gas blowers.
1997
·Sales now over a million annually and growing 6-8 percent per year. (4,7)
·After an 11-year battle, Los Angeles bans gas-powered blowers within 500 feet of residences; ordinance remains controversial after passage and is twice revised.
·Lawndale bans gas blowers.
·Citizens' group in Santa Barbara qualifies ban for November ballot; voters approve ban 55 percent to 45 percent.
1998
·Citizens in Palo Alto, Portola Valley, Sacramento, and Sunnyvale work to ban blowers.
·Menlo Park City Council bans blowers (8)
·Los Angeles ban fully implemented February 13.
·California State Senator Richard Polanco introduces SB1651 that would prohibit California cities from banning leaf blowers.
·Los Angeles Superior Court judge upholds city's ban.
Japanese gardeners invent hand-held bellows to remove leaves and twigs from moss-covered soil. (1)
About 1970
Japanese engineers modernize the hand-operated blower by attaching a hose and a powerful motor. (1)
1970s
Gas blowers introduced to U.S. (2,3)
1975
Carmel bans the blower.
1976
Beverly Hills bans blowers, saying they are nuisances. (4)
1985
75,000 backpack blowers sold. (1)
1986
West Hollywood, CA bans gas blowers.
1987
·464,000 units sold. (5)
·Belvedere, CA bans gas-powered blowers.
1989
·About 800,000 machines sold
·millions now in use with California leading the nation. (1,5)
1990
·Indian Wells, CA bans leaf blowers.
·Piedmont, CA bans gas-powered blowers.
·City of Claremont stops using leaf blowers in the maintenance of city property and finds no net increase in labor hours. (6)
1991
·Ad Hoc Committee to Ban Leaf Blowers asks the Sacramento City Council to ban leaf blowers; Council passes noise and time restrictions.
·Berkeley, CA City Council bans gas blowers.
·Los Altos, CA bans gas blowers by popular vote.
·Claremont, CA bans gas blowers.
1993
·Laguna Beach, CA bans all leaf blowers.
·Mill Valley, CA bans gas blowers.
1997
·Sales now over a million annually and growing 6-8 percent per year. (4,7)
·After an 11-year battle, Los Angeles bans gas-powered blowers within 500 feet of residences; ordinance remains controversial after passage and is twice revised.
·Lawndale bans gas blowers.
·Citizens' group in Santa Barbara qualifies ban for November ballot; voters approve ban 55 percent to 45 percent.
1998
·Citizens in Palo Alto, Portola Valley, Sacramento, and Sunnyvale work to ban blowers.
·Menlo Park City Council bans blowers (8)
·Los Angeles ban fully implemented February 13.
·California State Senator Richard Polanco introduces SB1651 that would prohibit California cities from banning leaf blowers.
·Los Angeles Superior Court judge upholds city's ban.
Sources:(1) Sacramento Bee, 12/8/90
(2) Lawn & Landscape Maintenance, April 1991
(3) Horticulture, November 1992
(4) Newsday, 8/11/97
(5) Wall Street Journal, 12/4/90
(6) City of Claremont agenda report, 10/30/90
(7) Ketzel Levine, The Oregonian, ca. 1997
(8) Palo Alto Daily News, 3/10/98
Various city ordinances
ORIGINS
In its fist incarnation the 'blower' was Japanese. It was mechanized in the early 1970s to blow chemicals (fertilizers and pesticides) up to tall tree heights and across fields.
Minus the chemicals it became a seasonal 'leaf' blower adopted by the United States. It soon became favored as a year-round debris and dust blower.
In its fist incarnation the 'blower' was Japanese. It was mechanized in the early 1970s to blow chemicals (fertilizers and pesticides) up to tall tree heights and across fields.
Minus the chemicals it became a seasonal 'leaf' blower adopted by the United States. It soon became favored as a year-round debris and dust blower.