1. Sign the petition
Add your name to the community petition asking San Carlos to phase out gas-powered leaf blowers.
Sign the Petition
Community-led action
Quiet yards. Cleaner air. Better living.
Help San Carlos phase out gas-powered leaf blowers while supporting residents, gardeners, and landscaping crews in the switch to electric tools and quieter yard care.
New: Printable flyer for your gardener
Print this one-page PDF and hand it to your gardener or landscaping crew. It explains the request and points them to rebate information.
Quiet San Carlos is a community-led site and is not an official City of San Carlos website.
Take action in 60 seconds
Help San Carlos move away from gas-powered leaf blowers by signing the petition, contacting City Council, using the rebate program, and sharing verified information.
2. Email City Council
Send a short, respectful message asking the Council to put a fair phase-out on a future agenda.
Email City Council3. Use the homeowner rebate
Buy your own cordless electric blower, get up to $100 back, and keep it charged for your gardener to use.
Get Rebate Info4. Share the landscaper rebate
Tell your gardener or landscaping crew that San Carlos offers up to $500 for eligible electric equipment.
Share Rebate Info5. Read the evidence
See verified documentation on how gas-powered leaf blowers affect air quality, dust, noise, and public health.
Read DocumentationWhy the noise matters
- It carries across property lines and into homes.
- It disrupts work, rest, conversation, and time outdoors.
- Its rising-and-falling sound is hard to tune out.
- Crews and residents may be exposed repeatedly.
Talk to your landscaper
Many crews use gas equipment because that is what customers expect. The goal is not to blame workers. The goal is to help homeowners create demand for cleaner, quieter service.
Start with thanks
Make it clear you respect the work they do.
“We really appreciate the work you do for our yard.”
Make the request
Be direct and specific about your property.
“We are trying to stop using gas-powered leaf blowers because of the noise and pollution.”
Offer options
Electric, rake, broom, mulch, or less-perfect cleanup are all better than gas blowers.
“Could you use electric equipment, a rake, or a broom instead?”
Dear Gardener / Landscaping Team,
Thank you for the work you do to care for our yard.
We are trying to reduce noise and air pollution at our home, so we are asking that gas-powered leaf blowers not be used on our property.
Please use electric equipment, a rake, broom, or another quieter method when possible.
San Carlos has information about rebates for electric leaf blowers and batteries, including information for residents and commercial landscapers.
You can find rebate information here:
www.quietsancarlos.org
Thank you for helping make our neighborhood cleaner, quieter, and healthier.
Sincerely,
________________________
Scan for rebate and petition info
Visit www.quietsancarlos.org for rebate information, the petition, and a short explanation of why San Carlos residents are asking for quieter electric equipment.
Ask your neighbors to help
Your neighbors may dislike gas blowers too, but they may not know what to do. One of the most effective actions is simple: ask one neighbor to ask their landscaper.
Neighbor message — soft version
Hi — quick neighborhood ask. We’re trying to reduce gas-powered leaf blower use because the noise and exhaust affect everyone nearby.
Would you be open to asking your gardener whether they can use electric equipment or avoid gas blowers at your house?
San Carlos has rebate information to help people switch and there’s a petition, too.
In fact, you can get your own electric leaf blower for free and make it available to your gardener if you'd like.
You can find it all here:
quietsancarlos.org
Thanks for considering it.
Neighbor message — direct version
Hi — I’m reaching out to neighbors about gas-powered leaf blowers.
They are extremely loud, polluting, and disruptive, especially when multiple landscaping crews are working in the neighborhood on the same day.
Would you be willing to ask your landscaper not to use gas-powered blowers on your property and to switch to electric equipment if possible?
Also, you can get your own electric leaf blower for free and make it available to your gardener if you'd like.
Here’s the local action page:
quietsancarlos.org
What to say if your landscaper pushes back
Keep it respectful. Your request is about your property, your neighborhood, and your willingness to accept quieter methods.
"There is already a California law banning gas blowers.”
The California law bans the sale of new blowers but says nothing about existing leaf blowers. Gas blowers may still be procured out state and used in California. It's up to the cities and towns to ban them outright.
“Electric equipment is expensive.”
I understand. San Carlos has rebate information for electric blowers and batteries. I’m happy to share it with you.
“Electric blowers are not powerful enough.”
Modern electric equipment is as powerful as gas-powered units and holds a much longer charge than even just a few years ago.
“It will take longer.”
I understand. I’m willing to accept a less perfectly blown yard if it means less noise and less pollution. But you may find that the electric equipment is just as powerful and fast as gas equipment.
“Other customers do not care.”
That may be true, but I care about it for my property, and more residents are starting to ask.
Make your property gas-blower-free
You do not have to wait for a law. Homeowners create the demand. Landscapers respond to what customers ask for.
Quiet yard checklist
- I asked my landscaper not to use gas-powered leaf blowers.
- I shared rebate information.
- I told one neighbor about the petition.
- I am willing to accept raking, sweeping, mulching, or electric blowing instead.
- I support a citywide phase-out with fair transition support.
Buy it once. Keep it charged. Let your gardener use it.
Homeowners can use the San Carlos rebate to buy an electric leaf blower and battery, then keep it charged and ready for their gardener or landscaping crew.
This removes one of the biggest barriers to switching: the crew does not need to buy new equipment just to service your property.
Tip: label the blower with your name, store it where it's accessible, charge your battery, and tell your gardener: “Please use this blower here instead of gas equipment.”
Get Rebate InfoWhy this matters
Gas-powered leaf blowers are a quality-of-life problem, a health problem, and a neighborhood problem. The solution should be fair, practical, and focused on transition.
Noise
Gas blowers create intense, repetitive noise that carries across property lines and can dominate a neighborhood for hours.
Air and dust
Gas blowers produce exhaust and stir up dust, pollen, particulates, and debris near homes, sidewalks, pets, and open windows.
Fair transition
The answer is not to punish gardeners. The answer is a clear phase-out, rebates, bilingual education, and warning-first enforcement.
What we are asking San Carlos to do
San Carlos can lead with common sense: cleaner tools, quieter neighborhoods, and practical support for residents and landscaping businesses.
- Put a gas-powered leaf blower phase-out on a future City Council agenda.
- Adopt a clear date after which gas-powered leaf blowers may no longer be used.
- Pair the phase-out with rebates, outreach, and education.
- Use bilingual materials for residents, gardeners, and landscaping crews.
- Use warnings and education first, then fair enforcement.
Neighborhood toolkit
Copy, print, share, and reuse these tools. The more residents ask for electric equipment, the easier the transition becomes.
Petition
Share the petition with neighbors and local groups.
Open PetitionCouncil email
Send a short message asking for a fair phase-out.
Email CouncilRebate information
Share rebate information with your gardener or landscaping crew.
Open Rebate Info
Landscaper note
Neighbor text
Council email
Petition link
Rebate link
Quiet yard pledge
Join the local list
Stay connected with the community effort and help build support neighborhood by neighborhood.