Ridgewood NJ, the Village of Ridgewood is once again promoting Slow Mow May .The goal of Slow Mow May is to embrace a two-week mowing regime (and forego chemicals for the entire month), which supports the greatest abundance of bees by creating habitat and food sources for early-season pollinators. It’s a small but important step toward making our yards more natural, environmentally friendly and healthier for people, pets and pollinators.
Montclair NJ, in August Montclair’s town council voted Tuesday night to ban gas-powered leaf blowers, passing in a 4-1 vote. The use of gas-powered leaf blowers has been a topic of discussion in many cities in North Jersey and even in the New Jersey State Legislature, where a 2021 proposal to ban the sale and use of the devices in the state. Montclair is the latest community to take up the topic, as a proposal to completely ban the devices was introduced by the Montclair Town Council back in July. Currently, gas-powered leaf blowers are banned in Montclair from May 16th through October 14th, but a new proposal has been approved and will now prohibit them outright starting on October 15th, 2023.
Ridgewood NJ, Ordinance 3892 – Commercial use of power & manual tools [revised times – (0800 hours instead of 0730 hours on weekdays) – new prohibitions – (includes prohibition on use of manual tools) – and added holidays] – Approved by Village Council members tonight with an effective date of 03/11/2022.
Ridgewood NJ, its been a less contentious leaf season so far this season but with so resident working from home the constant sound of leaf blower is driving residents crazy . COVID19 has pushed many into a remote work environment and remote learning environment . This often means neighbors are hearing the sweet sound of power tools for the very first time . Many have expressed frustration and the inability to enjoy the outdoors .
photo 1973 with Revson, Gordy and Allison pushing off after “Gentlemen Start Your Engines!” Indy 500
Gas blowers and trimmers make an airplane engine like noise. In addition to landscapers (which are more like terrorists) to make it worse my neighbors choose to do their landscaping at anytime on a weekend. It could happen at 8AM in the morning on a Saturday, 4PM on a Sunday, sometimes it happens at 8PM on Saturday. I understand the infatuation with perfect landscaping but a good neighbor should be considerate of other neighbors. There are little kids still asleep at 9AM on a Saturday or Sunday. One of the joys of living in the suburbs is the peace and quietness of a sunny weekend where you’d like to hear nothing but bird singing. Just when you’re sipping your coffee and trying to find where that beautiful bird is hiding the engine starts and you feel like germans are coming to bomb.
If you depend on the town to enforce any rules forget about it. They are totally incapable of doing so.
Leaf blowers should have a much more limited decibel range (and that is a legal action that can be taken). You note that all users are wearing sound proof ear protectors. Unfortunately, the student walking home from school or the passenger waiting for a bus, or just kids playing in their own homes or yards have no such protection. In much of Europe during WWII, people were required to have their gas masks with them at all times. Will the constant leaf blower noise soon require us all to carry ear protectors?
By Jessica Mazzola | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
on April 07, 2017 at 7:45 AM, updated April 07, 2017 at 7:47 AM
A New Jersey town has banned summertime commercial leaf blowing for good. (File photo)
MAPLEWOOD — The controversial leaf blower ban is back, and it’s here to stay.
The Maplewood town council this week unanimously passed an ordinance banning commercial landscapers’ use of the gas-powered blowers during the summer months – a move that cemented a pilot program enacted last year. The new rule, the town’s lawmakers said, is meant to decrease noise and environmental pollution in the community.
Ridgewood NJ, April is National Safe Digging Month and Public Service Electric and Gas Co. (PSE&G), New Jersey’s largest utility, reminds customers, contractors and excavators to call 811 to request a mark-out before digging to avoid hitting underground pipelines, conduits, wires and cables. The service is free, and absolutely critical to avoiding injuries and disruptions to vital utility services.
Nationwide, every six minutes, someone damages an underground utility line when digging without first calling 811, according to the Common Ground Alliance, the national association that promotes safe digging practices. In 2015, PSE&G responded to more than 360,000 utility mark-out requests called into the New Jersey 811 call center. Despite the high number of mark-out requests, almost 30 percent of damages to PSE&G facilities were the result of people digging without first calling 811.
PSE&G has more than 8,200 circuit miles of underground electric lines, and about 35,000 miles of buried natural gas distribution lines. Striking an underground electric or natural gas pipe can cause serious injury and service interruptions, resulting in repair costs and fines. Every digging project, even a small project like planting a tree or building a deck with hand tools, requires a call to 811.
When you call 811, you are automatically connected to the New Jersey one-call center, which collects information about your digging project. The one-call center then provides the information to the utility companies, who send representatives to mark the locations of underground lines in the immediate vicinity of the planned work location with flags, paint or both. Once lines have been properly marked and your request becomes valid, you are free to carefully dig around the marked areas.
In New Jersey, the marks are valid for 45 business days. The call must be made whether you are hiring a professional or planning to do the job yourself.
Important information to consider:
Call 811 at least three full business days before each job to have underground pipes, wires and equipment located. Utility workers will respond and place markers where utility lines are buried, free of charge.
If you hired a contractor, confirm that a call to 811 has been made. Do not allow work to begin if the lines are not marked.
Property owners must maintain and respect the marks. Always hand dig within two feet of marked lines.
Various colors are used when marking lines. To learn what each color represents and for more information go to www.pseg.com/call811.
If you accidentally damage gas piping or smell gas when excavating, call 911 immediately from a safe area. Call before you dig is more than a good idea — it’s the law.
YARD WASTE COLLECTION BEGINS APRIL 11 – PLEASE ADHERE TO SCHEDULE
Ridgewood NJ, Its that time of the year again , “Yard Waste” season will start on April 11th in Area A. Please do not place any yard waste (branches or twigs) at the curb until your date for yard waste collection begins. The schedule is printed in the 2016 Village Calendar. The Village is divided into four areas and collection takes place at the curb following that schedule. The Recycling Center on E. Glen Avenue will take yard waste now if you want to drop it off. For further questions, please call 201/670-5585.
YARD WASTE COLLECTION BEGINS APRIL 11 – PLEASE ADHERE TO SCHEDULE
Ridgewood Nj , Yard Waste season will start on April 11th in Area A. Please do not place any yard waste (branches or twigs) at the curb until your date for yard waste collection begins. The schedule is printed in the 2016 Village Calendar. The Village is divided into four areas and collection takes place at the curb following that schedule. The Recycling Center on E. Glen Avenue will take yard waste now if you want to drop it off. For further questions, please call 201/670-5585.
Ridgewoood NJ, Leaf summon issue resolved for now , while it does seem troubling as to the percentage of homes who were issued summonses. Village Manager Roberta Sonenfeld reported that 404 out of 414 leaf summons were paid , 3 were heard by a judge , others were dismissed for various reasons.
https://www.tubechop.com/watch/7730477 courtesy of Saurabh Dani
