October 1, 2005
Noise Free America
For immediate release
Contact:
Ted Rueter
877-NOISE-NO
[email protected]
Madison: The John Deere Company has won this month’s “Noisy Dozen” award from Noise Free America for manufacturing a dizzying array of noisy products, including leaf blowers, hedge trimmers, riding mowers, and All-Terrain Vehicles.
John Deere boasts that its leaf blowers offer “tremendous power.” In reality, they deliver tremendous noise, tremendous air pollution, and tremendous irritation to neighbors.
Ted Rueter, Noise Free America’s director, commented that “John Deere’s leaf blowers are mighty unneighborly. They reach noise levels of 110 decibels–which is dangerously high. Their grating roar can be heard from half a mile away. They stir up a fine dust that can coat porches and windowsills up to a block away. They blow leaves onto neighbors’ lawns–only to have them blow back 30 seconds later.”
Rueter also noted that “leaf blowers spread animal droppings, herbicides, and pesticides into the air. They emit dangerous levels of carbon monoxide and nitrous oxide. They create as much tailpipe emissions in one hour as a car does over 350 miles. They pump 1800 pounds of carcinogenic compounds into Los Angeles every year.”
John Deere’s other lawn care products are equally grating, said Rueter, “All-Terrain Vehicles pound the American countryside with irritating noise. Hedge trimmers are very noisy, and they are completely unnecessary. Riding mowers simply foster the American obsession with mowing the lawn every three days–which creates an incredible amount of noise.”
According to Rueter, “When it comes to noise, nothing runs like a Deere.”
Noise Free America is a national citizens organization opposed to noise pollution. Past “winners” of the Noisy Dozen award include Pioneer Electronics, Congressman Darrell Issa, and Governor Jesse Ventura.