Quiet Clean PDX – Who We Are
Taking care of our green spaces and outdoor areas shouldn’t put our health and environment at risk. Unfortunately, gas leaf blowers expose us to extremely toxic air pollutants, dangerous levels of airborne dust, and hazardous noise levels. They are particularly injurious to workers who operate them many hours a day. They also inflict harms on our soil, plants, ecosystems, and wildlife.
Quiet Clean PDX is a volunteer effort that has been working to phase out gas-powered leaf blowers in the Portland area since 2018. We have raised awareness of the dangers of gas leaf blowers, advocated for their elimination, and promoted healthier alternatives.
We are pleased that our efforts resulted in Portland’s ground-breaking ordinance in March 2024 that will phase out the use of gas leaf blowers city-wide by 2028 (see Legislation page). But there is still much work to be done.
We are continuing to work with local organizations and neighborhood associations that share our concerns in a coalition for action to facilitate an equitable transition off gas leaf blowers. Our goals are to educate contractors and the public about the ordinance and about effective alternatives to gas blowers, ensure a robust and fair enforcement process, and support an incentives program to help small contractors purchase electric blowers.
We believe the combination of using gas-free tools, practicing sustainable yard care, and a new landscape aesthetic more in tune with nature will protect and enormously benefit landscape workers, the environment, and the public.
Please join us! We invite you to explore our website, sign up for our Newsletter, join our Facebook Group, and check out our Take Action page for ways to get involved.
CONTACT US
Email us with any questions or suggestions, or if you’d like help creating a similar effort in your own community.
Cartoon thanks to Tom Toro