More Virginians leaving leaves, a boon for sustainability, survey finds

More Virginians are leaving leaves on the ground during the autumn season, providing a boon to local ecosystems and cutting down on methane gas in the atmosphere. A new survey by the National Wildlife Federation found that nearly 20% of people don’t collect or remove fallen leaves during autumn, up from 15% last year. But nearly a third of people report throwing away six or more bags of leaves each season.

David Mizejewski, naturalist, National Wildlife Federation, explained that bagging leaves and sending them to the landfill contributes to climate change. When leaves and other organic yard waste are put in landfill piles and deprived of oxygen, they decompose and release methane into the atmosphere.

“Who would have thought that a simple choice of what to do with your leaves in the fall could actually have a tie to something as big and massive as global climate change, but it’s really true,” he said. “There is a connection.”

Methane is more than 25 times more potent than carbon dioxide in trapping heat in the atmosphere.

Many people, however, don’t have the choice to leave the leaves. The survey found 40% of people are required to bag their leaves by a homeowner’s association or city ordinance. Mizejewski said leaves left on the ground provide many benefits to local ecosystems – and can save people money.

“They suppress weeds, they retain soil moisture and they also then slowly compost right in place and return the nutrients right to the root zone of the plants. That sounds an awful lot like mulch and fertilizer,” he explained.

Leaf-removal methods also pour harmful toxins into the atmosphere. According to Rutgers University, leaf blowers release chemicals such as carbon monoxide and nitrogen dioxide into the air that worsen respiratory issues and contribute to many chronic diseases.

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