What a beautiful Fall morning I woke up to today.  Sunny, warm, clear and everywhere the colors of Fall.  However by afternoon I found myself unable to escape the smoke and smell of residents all over the city burning their leaves.

If Fairfield is going to proceed with their plans to be a “green” city, then banning this practice is going to have to be one of the top items on the Sustainability Coordinator’s agenda.  The practice of leaf burning is banned in most municipalities because it leads to air pollution, health problems and fire hazards.

Leaf smoke is hazardous to your health:

Leaf smoke may also contain hazardous chemicals such as carbon monoxide, which can bind with hemoglobin in the bloodstream and reduce the amount of oxygen in the blood and lungs. Another noxious chemical commonly present in leaf smoke is benzo(a)pyrene, which has been shown to cause cancer in animals and is believed to be a major factor in lung cancer caused by cigarette smoke. And while breathing in leaf smoke can irritate the eyes, nose and throat of healthy adults, it can really wreak havoc on small children, the elderly and people with asthma or other lung or heart diseases. — About.com

Multiple Small Fires Lead to Air Pollution:

Sporadic individual leaf fires usually don’t cause any major pollution, but multiple fires in one geographic area can cause concentrations of air pollutants that exceed federal air quality standards. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), several leaf and yard waste fires burning simultaneously in a particular locale can cause air pollution rivaling that from factories, motor vehicles and lawn equipment. — About.com

Leaf Burning is a Fire Hazard:

The cost [of leaf burning] including higher incidences of home and forest fires and associated property loss and need for increased fire protection. — epa.gov

Plus there are easy and better alternatives to leaf burning. Specifically, composting or mulching of fallen leaves. If you don’t have a compost bin for your garden, it’s easy to put one together in the corner of your yard where you can mix together leaves with grass clippings and table scraps to create a great soil conditioner.

Or save money on lawn care by simply mowing over the leaves with your lawnmower. This will provide many benefits, including weed suppression, moisture conservation and moderation of soil temperature.

What do you do with your fallen leaves? Would you support or oppose a ban on leaf burning here in Fairfield?