Madison Launches 'Quiet Summer' To Reduce Gas Leaf Blower Noise, Pollution

MADISON, NJ - The Madison Environmental Commission and the Shade Tree Management Board are asking residents and their landscapers to put down the gas leaf blowers this summer as part of a new voluntary program called Quiet Summer 2026.

"Quiet Summer 2026 is a voluntary program that invites residents to pause gas leaf blowing during the summer months," said Claire Whitcomb, MEC chair.

The initiative runs June through September. The MEC has created a bilingual letter that residents can download and share with their landscapers, asking them to eliminate gas leaf blowing during that period. The letter is available at bit.ly/DearLandscaper or can be picked up in person June 6 when the MEC tables at the Madison Farm & Artisan Market.

Borough Council liaison to the MEC and STMB Tom Haralampoudis said the goals go beyond noise reduction. "Pausing gas leaf blowing is an easy way to improve our air quality and encourage kids, especially those with asthma, to be outside," he said.

Haralampoudis also noted that gas leaf blowers serve limited practical purpose during summer months, when leaves are not falling and grass growth slows. "A lot of unnecessary blowing takes place," he said. "I leave grass clippings on my lawn to provide nutrients. As for sidewalks and patios, electric blowers and brooms can do the job quickly and quietly."

The MEC cites a range of environmental and health benefits to reducing gas leaf blower use in summer:

Wildlife: Noise from loud machinery disrupts birds' ability to sing, mate and signal danger, and sends what sustainable gardener Chad Soles describes as a "ripple of stress through nearby trees and shrubs." Fireflies, which spend their first two years in soil and fallen leaves, also benefit when leaves are left undisturbed — and the insects they support provide food for birds.

Children's health: Research from the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and others finds that children are highly susceptible to air toxins emitted by gas leaf blowers, and that high-intensity noise is particularly harmful to the developing ears of infants and young children.

Lawn health: With winds exceeding 150 miles per hour, gas leaf blowers can strip lawns of the organic matter that nourishes grass. Leaving clippings in place allows them to decompose and serve as natural fertilizer.

Residents with questions or who want to get involved can contact the MEC at MEC@rosenet.org.

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