In North Carolina, leaf burning in the fall has been a tradition at least since the 1700's. Here we see a family burning yard waste out in the county. If done right and legally, leaf burning is fun, nostalgic, and great for making memories. However, leaf burning comes at a cost to the environment. Burning a ton of leaves will produce about 117 pounds of carbon monoxide.*
As was the case with the above family, be sure to monitor the burning fire diligently as it can be dangerous if unattended. Here are is a brochure about burning in North Carolina. It is published by the Division of Air Quality. Please make sure that, if burning yard waste, it is done legally and only if absolutely necessary. For county residents, one to alternative to burning is to turn your leaves into nutrient righ soil. Leaves make great mulch. If you live in the city limits of Greensboro, you are lucky. Greensboro has a great leaf removal program. Have them curbside by November 12th and the city will put you on their calendar!
Happy Tuesday; happy fall.
Wow! That's a lot of carbon. My husband has been using leaves as mulch for years and we also keep a compost heap.
Posted by: Barb | Tuesday, October 15, 2013 at 08:04 PM
I compost my leaves but I can't resist burning my wood waste in little backyard fires just for the pleasure of sitting around a fire.
Posted by: Billy Jones | Wednesday, October 16, 2013 at 09:58 AM