But Would Cate Blanchett OK Walnut Creek, Lafayette Leafblower Ban?

WALNUT CREEK, CA — "Leafblowers need to be eradicated from the face of the earth," according to Cate Blanchette, who told Kareem Rahma — the host of the "Subway Takes" TikTok series — “It’s a metaphor for what’s wrong with us as a species."

Blanchette and Gina Gershon hate leaf blowers so much that they made a TikTok video together about how much they hate them. Indeed, Blanchette has been on a crusade for nearly 20 years.

While Walnut Creek has not eradicated them from the surface of the planet, the city is banning the loudest of their ilk.

Starting April 1, the familiar roar of gas-powered leaf blowers will fade from neighborhoods across Walnut Creek, replaced — city leaders hope — by a quieter, cleaner hum.

A new city ordinance bans the use of gasoline-powered leaf blowers within city limits, part of Walnut Creek’s broader push to cut greenhouse gas emissions and improve public health. The policy updates the city’s municipal code and makes property owners responsible for compliance, even if a hired service performs the landscaping.

The ban stems from the city’s Sustainability Action Plan, adopted by the Walnut Creek City Council in 2023. Officials say the move targets both climate change and local health concerns.

Gas-powered leaf blowers emit carbon monoxide, benzene, particulate matter, and other pollutants. Contra Costa County reports asthma rates higher than the statewide average — particularly among children. City officials say reducing emissions from small gas engines can help curb respiratory health risks and lower climate-warming greenhouse gas emissions.

The policy, discussed at a Nov. 4, 2025, council meeting, prohibits anyone who owns, manages, or rents property in Walnut Creek from operating a gasoline-powered leaf blower or hiring someone to do so. Limited exceptions are allowed for emergencies as approved by the city or first responders.

In 2021, Governor Newsom signed a law banning the sale of gas-powered leaf blowers and other small off-road engines in California, effective January 1, 2024, with enforcement by the California Air Resources Board.To ease the transition, the city is encouraging residents to:

• Use a rake or broom for the most environmentally friendly option.
• Switch to battery-powered or plug-in electric blowers.
• Talk with landscapers about moving to electric equipment.

Financial incentives are available for some professionals. Eligible landscapers may qualify for vouchers of up to $1,400 per replaced blower through regional air quality programs, including those administered by the Bay Area Air District. Additional zero-emission equipment incentives are offered through the state’s CORE program.

Locally, Downtown Walnut Creek ACE Hardware is offering discounts, financing options, and demo days for electric equipment. Residents can also recycle old gas-powered leaf blowers free of charge — provided they are empty — at the Concord Recycling Center and Rapid Recycle.

City officials are urging neighbors to share information about the new rules and start conversations early with landscaping services ahead of the April 1 deadline.

In Lafayette, gas-powered leaf blowers have been banned since July 1, 2024. However, that has not stopped them from being widely sold and used, despite the availability of options and point-of-sale vouchers for small-business landscape professionals.

Lafayette also offers two types of battery-operated leaf blowers for residents to borrow: a handheld blower and a commercial-grade backpack blower.

Gerardo Jiminez, the city’s lone code enforcement officer tasked with following up on complaints made by residents in response to scofflaws, noted an uptick in complaints from the start of the ban to 2025, from 487 to 571, according to the Lamorinda Weekly. Lafayette is clearly not "Cate-proof."

However, Jimenez told the Weekly that Lafayette does not cite violators but rather "educates" them with very friendly letters.