Yes, while not an unpleasant sound, it has grown unpleasantly loud at
this point (just today it escalated, I feel). I will be wearing earplugs
when I walk outside, so if you can't get my attention, that's why!
~Melissa on Ray
On Wed, May 26, 2021 at 5:27 PM Abigail Rome <abirome2@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
I measured the loudness of the cicadas in the trees in my yard and that of
our neighbors. Today it got to 95 decibels. FYI, in general, prolonged
noise over 85 dB can cause hearing loss.
In spite of this, I love them also!
Abi
Ray Drive
Sent from my iPhone
On May 26, 2021, at 3:39 PM, rengelman@xxxxxxxxx wrote:
In contrast to the din of the leaf blowers, I'm really enjoying the Song
of the Cicadas. Despite the media hype, so far at least it's not at all
loud (never masking motor noise), and a once-in-17-years thrill. As a
musician, I've been trying to figure out if there's a definite pitch.
Almost, but not quite. I find, amazingly, that when I'm listening to music
outdoors on non-noise-canceling headphones or earbuds, the cicadas produce
a lovely drone that goes quite nicely with music -- in any key -- as though
the composer had notated "cicada chorus here." It's flat out glorious.
Then there's the question of where the sound is coming from. Sometimes it
sounds like it's in a definite direction, but when I walk or or jog in that
direction, I find it's coming from somewhere else -- obviously from
everywhere, kind of like the "sound" of cosmic background radiation from
the birth of the universe.
Despite my sadly splattered porch and walkway, the constant effort to get
the struggling insects off their backs and back into the air, and the
surprises I keep finding in my hair and on my clothes, I'll miss these
critters when they pass on. I can only hope there's one more emergence in
my lifetime, but at my age that's not all that likely.
------------------------------
*From: *"Michael Sitar" <michaelasitar@xxxxxxxxx>
*To: *north-takoma@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
*Sent: *Wednesday, May 26, 2021 3:21:24 PM
*Subject: *[north-takoma] Re: Leaf-blower folks: pls email me directly
On the "bright" side....
The Cicadas will
"Mask" the sound
of any leaf blower, helicopter..
...maybe not a Jumbo Jet at low altitude...
Michael
On Wed, May 26, 2021, 2:30 PM Anne Glusker <anneglusker@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
Hi Anne, Susan, Paul, Tiffany, Robert & everyone interested in taking
some sort of action to deal with the leaf-blower issue:
Since our new listserv doesn’t show senders’ email addresses — so
annoying! — would you be kind enough to share your email address with me
directly at anneglusker@xxxxxxxxx?
I’ll be looking into possible courses of action in a few weeks & will get
back to anyone who’s interested after I find out more.
Thanks,
Anne on Baltimore
------
Anne Glusker
646.404.2806
she/her/hers
On May 26, 2021, at 1:54 PM, Anne Burson <dmarc-noreply@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
wrote:
I'm so glad this topic was brought up! As a music teacher having to
teach from home during the pandemic, the sound of leaf blowers and other
power tools, has been very disruptive. I was afraid to say anything,
especially during the fall when cleaning up leaves was what everyone was
doing. But even right now - I'm trying to record a song for my autism
class and I will have to stop for now. I HATE the sound of leaf blowers -
pandemic or no pandemic. I would LOVE it if Takoma Park would ban them
altogether.
Anne on Alfred Drive
On Sunday, May 23, 2021, 01:36:47 PM EDT, Mark Verschell <
dmarc-noreply@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
Having done LOTS of research on leaf blowers, I highly recommend the EGO
line. Their Power+ 650 is ludicrously strong and the battery lasts for our
.37 acres. They also have a commercial line.
Mark
Email from the Id
On May 19, 2021, at 2:45 PM, Anne Glusker <anneglusker@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
Seconding that emotion. Strongly. As I have before. Thank you, Diane.
(And I actually *have* AC! ... The sound of the leaf blowers penetrates
your cranium even with the AC on.)
A couple of thoughts, because I know there are many neighbors who
actively like their yards to be leaf blown or else just don’t know quite
what to say to their landscapers:
*1) Consider asking your landscaping company to buy a quieter, more
ecological leaf blower* (I believe one brand is called Echo:
https://www.leafblowernoise.com/). The noise pollution not only affects
neighbors, it’s terrible for the workers’ health.
*2) Consider asking your landscaping company to use rakes & brooms
instead of leaf blowers.* This could result in higher bills for you,
more time spent by the landscaper, and possibly a messier yard. I have told
our landscaper repeatedly not to use blowers, but sometimes the crew
forgets, much to my chagrin & embarrassment (since it makes me look bad in
the eyes of our lovely neighbors who know all about my passionate dislike
of leaf blowers!). I have kept at it, and I think the message may have
finally sunk in that leaf blowers are not welcome at 7319. (But please, if
you’re ever passing by & hear a leaf blower, let me know!) I have also
repeatedly told our landscaper that I don’t care if the yard looks a little
messier — after all, in the words of my friend who runs a landscaping
company in DC (which has successfully switched to the low-noise blowers):
“It’s nature, it’s not your living room!”
*3) Consider asking the landscaper to use the blowers only for big
cleanups* — once a year, maybe.
For anyone who shares Diane’s & my feelings on this fascinating topic:
Email me off list (annegluskerATgmail) & perhaps we can discuss an effort
to try to get TP or Montgomery County to enact some sort of ordinance
requiring the use of the low-noise blowers (as I believe DC has done) or
banning them altogether (perish the thought!) or setting certain hours or
days for their use. Food for thought.
Now we can all go back to thinking about living in a country with no Roe
v. Wade, no inquiry into Jan. 6, and the list goes on.
Yours in neighborliness,
Anne on B’more
------
Anne Glusker
646.404.2806
she/her/hers
On May 19, 2021, at 2:07 PM, Diane Bartz <dkbartz@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
Hey,
We're working at home and windows are open... NO! THEY ARE NOT BECAUSE
OF LEAF BLOWERS!!
If you hire landscapers, please for the love of god and all that is
holy ask them to desist from using leaf-blowers. The noise is making
it hard to work even though I had to close my windows.
No, I don't have air con.
Bests,
Diane Bartz
