January 6, 2026
Leaf Wars: Silence vs Suck
Portland's gas-powered leaf blower ban goes into effect
Portland hits mute on gas blowers; neighbors cheer, landscapers grumble
TLDR: Portland began a phased ban on gas leaf blowers (Jan–Sep now; full ban in 2028), nudging quieter electric tools. Comments split between folks craving calm and cleaner air and skeptics citing weak gear, higher costs, and spotty enforcement—plus jokes about Oregon’s gas rules and battery-sharing plans.
Portland just pressed the mute button on gas leaf blowers, phasing them out most of the year starting Jan. 1. Electric and battery models are still allowed (if they’re quiet), with a full year‑round ban landing in 2028. Fines start with warnings and climb to $1,000, and—this is spicy—enforcement is complaint‑based, meaning residents can report noisy violators with an online form. Activists say it’s about clean air and saving ears; small landscapers get rebates and a fresh $1M grant to help switch.
But the comments are where the real windstorm hit. One camp is celebrating the end of dawn‑to‑dusk droning—collinmcnulty even pitched a neighborhood battery swap pool to keep yards tidy without the roar. The other camp? Skeptical and salty. oooyay says most electric blowers “kind of suck” except the $250 Ego, and points to Portland’s rising costs and tax fatigue. kjkjadksj drops a reality check from Los Angeles: bans “not enforced at all,” and pros still use gas to finish fast. Then there’s global flexing—jo‑m notes Zürich banned gas blowers too and limits electric use to Oct–Dec link. And the meme machine revved up with Oregon’s infamous fuel rules, joking: “Too dangerous for ordinary citizens to use gas power?” link. Welcome to Leaf Wars: peace and quiet vs. power and practicality.
Key Points
- •Portland’s ban on gas-powered leaf blowers took effect Jan. 1 with phased restrictions.
- •Gas blowers are prohibited January–September for two years, allowed October–December; full-year ban starts Jan. 1, 2028.
- •Electric and battery-powered blowers are permitted year-round but must meet noise code requirements.
- •Multnomah County offers rebates to small landscaping businesses; a $1 million Portland Clean Energy Fund grant supports training and incentives.
- •Enforcement targets property owners via complaints, with escalating fines and continued allowance of retail sales; recycling options are available.