Two-Stroke Madness

It's 90 degrees, the polar ice caps are melting and gasoline is more than $4 a gallon. But apparently that's not enough to stop the Landscapers from Hell.

And what is this man chasing with his giant leaf blower? Perhaps you can see the little trail of grass clippings blown up against the granite curb.

Does anyone remember when we used a broom to deal with a few errant blades of grass?

This was the scene this afternoon as my wife and I strolled through the National Police Memorial, one of the newer parks here in the District of Columbia located across from the giant National Building Museum (formerly The Pension Building) at 400 F Street NW. It's also the site of an entrance to the Metro's Judiciary Square station on the Red Line. So there were plenty of people around taking in the sights.

The landscaping has come a long way in just a few years, with shade trees forming a pleasant and inviting alley on a hot summer day. Except for the blaring of the leaf-blowers. Not one but two grounds crewmen were engaged in the grass blade chase and the racket was almost unbearable. Need we add that two-stroke engines are among the most polluting on the planet?

Note to whomever is responsible for maintenance at the National Police Memorial: We know where you can get a good broom. Note to Mayor Fenty: Isn't it high time for some restrictions on two-stroke engines?