Santa Cruz C.H.A.S.E. is working to reclaim our city from the outsize noise, environmental, and health impacts of gas-powered leaf blowers. There are many ways to help–please join us and help the cause in any way you can.

When we finally pass the ordinance, you’ll know you helped to make Santa Cruz a cleaner, saner, and healthier place to live.

On this page:

Join our Campaign
Write to the City Council
Write to the County Board of Supervisors
If You Live in Watsonville, Scotts Valley, or Capitola
Endorse the Campaign
Get the Yard/Window Sign
Spread the Word
Write a Letter to the Editor

Join Our Campaign

To get the city council to finally pass an ordinance to phase out gas leaf blowers, we’ll need to be able to reach out to our allies and supporters at various points. We can only do this together!

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Write to the City Council

More people are ditching their leaf blowers and asking their landscapers to switch to manual or battery tools, but for real change, we need to join the scores of other cities and towns across the country and pass a ban on gas-powered leaf blowers in Santa Cruz.

C.H.A.S.E. has been meeting with members of the council, but we won’t see this issue on their agenda until we show them how many residents are passionate about restoring peace to our neighborhoods.

The biggest thing you can do is to write to our councilmembers–and it’s as easy as sending an email.

Just click the link below. The city forwards the emails to each current council member. Then just write a few short paragraphs in your own words, including:

  • Who you are
    • Mention if you live and/or work in Santa Cruz. Maybe mention your street or neighborhood
  • Why we need a ban on gas leaf blowers
    • Has the noise become too much? Do you find it hard to work or concentrate at home; does the noise bother your kids when they’re doing their homework? Are you concerned for your health and the health of your community? About climate change? Share a story about how they impact you and your family
  • That you’d like the council to pass the ban on gas-powered leaf blowers as soon as possible

Write to the County Board of Supervisors

See above for suggested content. Emails sent via the link below go to all current Supervisors.

Don’t forget to mention which part of the county you live in.

*** Time-sensitive action item: Please write to express support for the resolution being introduced by Supervisor Koenig at their meeting on February 13, 2024, which calls for the phase-out of gas leaf blowers in Santa Cruz County.

If You Live in Watsonville, Scotts Valley, or Capitola

Email the Watsonville city council

Email the Scotts Valley city council

Email the Capitola city council

See above for suggested content. Don’t forget to mention you’re a resident of that city.

Endorse the Campaign

Showing the council the level and range of support for ending the use of the loudest and most polluting leaf blowers is key to getting this passed. We are seeking to grow our list of local organizations and individuals with expertise or current or past involvement in the areas of environment, health, education, and labor/equity. The list will help the city council know that this has the support of local scientists, professionals, and practitioners who have experience with the issues and impacts at hand. The current list is here.

If this includes you or someone local you know, please send us your name and title, or send this to the people you have in mind. The list will be sent to council members and posted on our website.

If you or your organization is willing to endorse, please email us at contact@chasesantacruz.org.

Get the Yard/Window Sign

artist: Carolyn Ramos

Our group’s signs are in yards all over town. Its positive message–“End the Noise, Clear the Air” encourages others to use cleaner/quieter landscaping tools around their homes and gets the word out about our campaign to pass a city ordinance.

If you’d like a sign to display in your yard or window, please let us know. Please also let us know if you’re involved with a local business, school, or other organization that would be willing to put a sign in a visible place. There’s a suggested donation of $12 per sign to cover the cost, but for anyone who will post a sign but can’t afford one right now, let us know as we may have donors who can help cover the cost. In your email, please let us know:

  • How many signs, and 1-sided or 2-sided
  • Do you want yard stakes?
  • Your address
  • Whether you’ll pay with Paypal (preferred) or cash or check

*We don’t ship signs to other cities, but if you’re interested in customizing one for a campaign in your city, we can put you in touch with our graphic artist.

Email us to order your sign. Let’s get the message out!

You can also click this image for an 8 1/2 x 11″ PDF to print at home–portable half-sheets you can hand out to neighbors.

half-sheets

Spread the Word

Talk to your local friends and neighbors. Ask them to help restore peace and cleaner air to the neighborhood. They can ask their landscaper to stop using leaf blowers and they can join our campaign.

It’s easy–copy this link to this site, then send it to your local friends and share it through your social media:

https://chasesantacruz.org

Write a letter to the editor

Letters to the editor and op-eds are a great way to reach other residents directly, encouraging them to join the campaign and/or reach out to city council. And council members read these columns to feel the pulse of the city. Including a personal story about the cost of leaf blowers to you or your family can be a good hook. And mentioning C.H.A.S.E., with the URL chasesantacruz.org, will help grow the campaign.

lookout

Info on submitting op-eds and letters to the editor for Lookout Santa Cruz.

Good Times

“Send letters to: Letters@GoodTimes.SC. Letters should be originals—not copies of letters sent to other publications. Please include your name and email address to help us verify your submission (email address will not be published). Please be brief. Letters may be edited for length, clarity and to correct factual inaccuracies known to us.”

Santa Cruz Sentinel

Info on submitting letters to the editor (150 words max) for the Santa Cruz Sentinel.

Or submit an op-ed (650 words max) to editorial@santacruzsentinel.com.