Letters

As someone born and raised in Southampton, I have been lucky to spend years enjoying walks around our beautiful village, meandering down tree-covered streets, and enjoying the calm that comes from such a serene setting. There is, however, one thing that greatly threatens this serenity: the cacophonous whir of leaf blowers.

I recently learned of a campaign for a complete, year-round ban of these gas-powered leaf blowers [“Residents Call For Year-Round Gas-Powered Leaf Blower Ban In Southampton Village,” 27east.com, January 19]. I am 100 percent in support.

These leaf blowers harm our quality of life. Sound pollution is more than just an irritant — these sounds trigger the production of our stress hormones, which is linked to health problems, from poor sleep to heart disease to strokes. And not only do they impact our physical bodies but they take a terrible toll on our environment.

Electric leaf blowers emit one-eighth of the carbon monoxide a gas-blower produces. They are quiet, cheaper to maintain and save time from refueling. Switching to them can help save our physical health and the health of our planet.

Hope Reese

Budapest, Hungary