Hansen: The price of a blown leaf

The Orange County Grand Jury said it another way in its leaf blower report about the same time.

"Exhaust pollution per leaf blower per hour is the equivalent of the amount of smog from 17 cars driven one hour and is localized in the area of blower usage," the grand jury said.

So when your neighbor's landscaper fires up that blower, imagine sucking on the tailpipes of 17 cars.

Is it really this bad?

Well, the professional landscaper groups say that those reports are outdated and blowers have gotten more efficient, like little Priuses. New standards allegedly have reduced emissions by about 75%.

Besides, the CLCA said, "Actual emissions from leaf blowers are few because of the equipment's intermittent use."

Define "intermittent."

And if you're thinking electric blowers are better, even the landscaping groups admit the "electric" feature makes them dangerous.

Setting aside for a minute the hydrocarbons, the noise and the against-the-law part, there is an interesting Libertarian question here: Where do we stop?

Fundamentally, what's the difference between leaf blowers and lawn mowers?

Or Harley-Davidsons?

Or gas-soaked, fake-briquette barbecues combined with loud, obnoxious parties?

Pollution is pollution.

As a community, we get motivated every so often to rally the troops and draw a line in the sand.

In this case, we arbitrarily decided to make leaf blowers evil.

Which is a good thing.

But now leave me in peace and quiet so I can have my barbecue and smoke out my neighbor.

DAVID HANSEN is a writer and Laguna Beach resident. He can be reached at davidhansen@yahoo.com.