Erin Stone
covers climate and environmental issues in Southern California.
Published December 18, 2023 5:00 AM
Florencio Molina picks up the battery to attach to his electric leaf blower on a recent afternoon. (Molina declined to have his face shown in the photo.)
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Erin Stone
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LAist
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Topline:
Pasadena and other cities in the Southland have banned the use of noisy and smelly gas leaf blowers. These small machines are significant polluters, but many small businesses are struggling as a result of the transition.
Why it matters: Using a gas leaf blower for just one hour spews the same amount of smog-forming pollution as driving a gas passenger car more than a thousand miles, according to state data. Nationwide, a recent study found that lawn equipment alone — such as leaf blowers and lawn mowers — emit more planet-heating carbon dioxide than the entire city of L.A. does in a single year.
The effect on small businesses: For many small landscape business owners, the mandate is hurting their business and pushing others out of the industry altogether. There is funding available to help them transition, but that money many not keep up with the demand.
What's next: Astatewide law banning the sale of new gas-powered lawn and other small outdoor equipment goes into effect in January
As the climate crisis escalates, more cities are doubling down on gas leaf blower bans. And the sound of electric leaf blowers — decibels lower — is in the air.
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Leaf Blower Bans Are A Win For Climate, But Small Businesses Are Struggling to Adapt
The amount of pollution these small machines create is significant:
Using a gas leaf blower for just one hour spews the same amount of smog-forming pollution as driving a gas passenger car 1,100 miles, according to state data.
Nationwide, a recent study found that lawn equipment alone — such as leaf blowers and lawn mowers — emit more planet-heating carbon dioxide than the entire city of L.A. does in a single year.
For decades, Southland cities have tried to nix gas leaf blowers. Beverly Hills has officially banned them since 1976. West Hollywood since 1986. Santa Monica since 1991. And L.A. since 1998.
A brief history of leaf blowers
Leaf blowers were available in the early 1970s, but their use skyrocketed in the 1980s. Not only were they a lot faster and easier than raking leaves, but at the time, to many homeowners, they were seen as a more environmentally-friendly option during drought years — instead of using hose water, homeowners used a leaf blower to clear their porches and driveways.
But as their popularity grew, the noisy and smelly leaf blower also became a nuisance to many. Their effect on air pollution was also becoming more apparent — so in 1990, California enacted a first-in-world policy requiring manufacturers to lower emissions from these machines. That policy was later enforced nationwide.
Through the 1990s, 2000s and 2010s, gas leaf blower technology got quieter and less polluting. More electric leaf blowers entered the market. But even with those efforts, electric never overcame gas in popularity for residents and businesses. Today, gas leaf blowers remain significant polluters: using a gas leaf blower for just one hour is equivalent to driving a new gas car about 1,100 miles — as far as it is to drive from L.A. to Denver.
Enforcing leaf blower bans
Pasadena’s ban on gas leaf blowers went into effect in April — and it's one of the few cities doubling down on enforcing it. Since the ban went into effect, the city has seen monthly complaints about leaf blowers double. City inspectors have issued citations for as much as $200 to gardeners who haven’t switched to electric.
A sign in Pasadena spreading awareness about the city's leaf blower ban.
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Erin Stone
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LAist
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The city first issues a 30-day warning to get into compliance, then there are escalating fines of $100, $200, and $500. The fourth and highest citation is $1000. If gardeners can provide documents that they’ve purchased equipment, but haven’t received it yet, they won’t be fined, according to the city.
“We believe that enforcement of this ban will improve our air quality, public health and also address issues with respect to noise pollution, which is one of the chief complaints we receive with respect to these leaf blowers,” said Israel Del Toro, the deputy director of Pasadena’s Planning and Community Development Department.
The city has conducted several workshops for local landscapers to test out equipment and learn about the law, but for many small business owners, the mandate is hurting their business and pushing others out of the industry altogether.
“We’re trying to survive”
Florencio Molina has run his gardening business for 30 years. He recently purchased an electric leaf blower because he has a couple of clients in Pasadena. He said the battery technology at this point can’t keep up with the pace and hours of the work.
“It's good for like two hours, so if you don't have a second battery, you're not going to finish your jobs,” Molina said.
Molina was able to purchase an extra battery. But he said another issue is those batteries are really heavy. Just like electric cars, electric leaf blowers can be more than twice as heavy as gas ones — a big lift for someone on their feet all day.
“We get more tired using electric,” Molina said. “It will affect our business.”
Still, Molina added, there’s always a tradeoff.
“It will affect our body,” he said. “For the future, you're protecting your lungs.”
At 63 years old, Molina said he’s close to retiring anyway, so his younger protégé will have to deal with the changes brought by electrification.
Florencio Molina picks up the battery to attach to his electric leaf blower on a recent afternoon. (Molina declined to have his face shown in the photo).
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Erin Stone
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LAist
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But landscaper Luis Rodriguez said he’s considering leaving the business altogether. He was recently issued a warning for using a gas leaf blower in Pasadena, which is why he was buying a brand new electric one when I met him.
“We’re not making a lot of money in this business,” Rodriguez said. “We’re trying to survive. And now, they are pushing us to quit this job.”
We’re trying to survive. And now, they are pushing us to quit this job.
— Luis Rodriguez, a landscaper with clients in Pasadena.
Electric leaf blowers can cost four times as much as gas ones — upwards of $2,600 for the most powerful commercial models, as opposed to about $600 for gas.
Rodriguez said a few of his clients have helped him purchase electric equipment. But since most of his clients are in the city, and with the technology as it currently stands, he’d need to purchase an extra battery or several, which are the most expensive part of an electric kit.
Those costs are a big part of why, at 55, he’s considering closing his landscaping business and moving into another industry.
“I was thinking just leave Pasadena first, and then find another job, maybe work for a company,” he said. “Why don’t they go with the big business? They go with us first. All the time they go with the poor people first.”
Luis Rodriguez just purchased a new electric leaf blower because he received a warning for using a gas one in Pasadena. (Rodriguez declined to have his photo taken).
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Erin Stone
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LAist
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Funding to help small businesses transition
The state launched a program last year offering vouchers of up to $400 to help small businesses purchase electric equipment, but after providing vouchers for more than 62,000 pieces of electric lawn and garden tools, the program — which started with $27 million in the pot — has already run out of funding.
The South Coast Air Quality Management District also has a voucher program, partially funded by the state, that covers up to 85% of the cost of commercial landscape equipment. That program, which is also available to local governments, schools, and nonprofits, requires landscapers to turn in their gas-powered tool. (The agency also has a rebate program for residents to buy electric lawn mowers).
That program’s funding opened in March 2023 with $4.6 million available. Now there’s $3.4 million left, which is meant to last through 2034, though the agency plans to work to find additional funding if the money runs out before then.
“That incentive approach combined with regulation will be necessary for an equitable transition to cleaner technology,” Kim White, a spokesperson for the agency, said in a statement to LAist.
Funding for electric lawn equipment
The South Coast Air Quality Management District, or SCAQMD, offers vouchers that cover up to 85% of the cost of electric equipment for commercial landscapers. Learn more here.
SCAQMD also offers rebates for homeowners to purchase electric lawn mowers. Learn more here.
The California CORE program may replenish funding for its voucher program for electric landscaping equipment in the future. You can stay up to date and learn more here.
Outsize burden on the “little guy”
Alvaro Huerta, an associate professor at Cal Poly Pomona, helped organize the Association of Latin American Gardeners of Los Angeles in the mid-1990s to fight L.A.’s ban on leaf blowers back then. While that fight was largely about the jail sentence that came with L.A.’s original proposed ban (there’s no jail sentence for noncompliance anymore, thanks to the organization’s efforts), Huerta said the current approach has a disproportionate impact on largely Latino small businesses, workers and immigrants.
Local landscaper Luis Rodriguez holds the battery for his new electric leaf blower (Rodriguez declined to have his photo taken).
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Erin Stone
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LAist
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“This is something that we were arguing in 1996, that they should go after the manufacturers,” Huerta said. “Why are you attacking the little guy? I do believe that they need to be phased out because I am an environmentalist. However, they should be phased out just like cars are being phased out, in a more realistic time frame. The way they're doing it is they're banning them now, and they're punishing them now.”
California’s phase out plan for the trucking industry does allow smaller companies to have more time to transition. As for lawn equipment, in 1990 the state became the first in the world to incentivize lawn equipment manufacturers to create cleaner products. That policy was later enforced nationwide and has helped reduce pollution from these machines significantly.
But the technology (and cost) hasn’t improved enough for commercial landscapers to choose electric over gas, and levels of pollution from them still haven’t fallen — pound for pound — as much as pollution from cars and trucks. In fact, as more people switch to electric cars, the state expects pollution from small lawn and garden equipment to be double the pollution from light-duty passenger cars by 2031.
A commercial electric leaf blower.
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Erin Stone
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LAist
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That’s why a statewide law banning the sale of new gas-powered lawn and other small outdoor equipment goes into effect in January, a further incentive for manufacturers that will likely impact the entire nation, as California’s clean car rules have in the past.
A changing lawn equipment industry
Commercial electric leaf blowers sold at Lawn Mower Corner in Pasadena.
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Erin Stone
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LAist
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For the vendors that sell this lawn equipment, the story’s a little different. Charles Kim helps run his family’s long-time business Lawn Mower Corner in Pasadena. He said 2023 has been a great year for sales because of the electric leaf blower mandates.
“But we look at it as a short term gain, with a long term pain,” Kim said.
He noted that about 40% of their business right now is maintaining older gas equipment, such as changing oil and cleaning carburetors. Electric equipment, on the other hand, requires very little, if any, ongoing maintenance.
He said to adapt, the store is diversifying the type of products they sell. For example, they’re expanding from largely commercial equipment to other types of lawn and garden supplies.
“That's what we had to do to not put our eggs in one basket,” Kim said.
And for now, he said they’re stockpiling gas equipment to sell into the new year because the statewide rule banning the sale of all new gas-powered lawn equipment goes into effect in January.
O.C. Japan Fest, corgi beach day, the grunions are back, a new play festival, a talk with Sen. Cory Booker and more of the best things to do this weekend.
Highlights:
Experience sakura season without leaving the area at the O.C. Japan Fair, featuring 250 vendors, craftspeople, food booths, art activities and more, all celebrating Japanese culture.
Check out readings of five new plays – all for free! – at the Play L.A. New Works Festival, put on by Stage Raw and the Greenway Arts Alliance along with a number of L.A. indie theater powerhouses.
Spend Friday night with New Jersey Senator Cory Booker, whose new book, Stand, tells stories from his political life that aim to share “actionable insights” to help preserve democracy in these challenging times.
I hope you had luck in securing the first round of LA28 Olympics tickets — and that you’re not still waiting for page refreshes this morning! We’ve got all the info on how to get your tickets and why you shouldn’t fret if it doesn’t work out on this first try.
LAist’s Mariana Dale went to Hollywood High School this week to see how students and teachers felt about Mitski bringing a concert to the historic space. Seems like no one was missing class since perfect attendance meant a shot at tickets.
No matter your music taste, there’s a show for you this weekend. It may not be the height of summer yet, but things will be heating up at the Hollywood Bowl as Ben Platt and Rachel Zegler reunite for their concert performance of Broadway hit The Last Five Years. Plus, Licorice Pizza recommends Mercury Prize-winning London rapper Dave at the Palladium, St. Paul & the Broken Bones are at the Belasco, Calum Scott plays the Wiltern, and there’s a really cool First Fridays night at the Natural History Museum with dub legend Adrian Sherwood. Saturday has pop trio LANY at the Intuit Dome, Lamb of God slaughtering the YouTube Theater, SoundCloud rapper Rich Amiri at the Fonda, post-hardcore band Hail the Sun at the Wiltern, pop sensation Nessa Barrett at the Masonic Lodge, and another rising pop star, Alexander Stewart, at Chinatown’s cool new venue, Pacific Electric.
Experience sakura season without leaving the area at the O.C. Japan Fair, featuring 250 vendors, craftspeople, food booths, art activities and more, all celebrating Japanese culture. From sake tastings to sushi-making workshops to musical performances and kimono try-ons, the annual event is one of the largest Japanese cultural fairs in California.
Play L.A. New Works Festival
April 3-4 Greenway Court Theatre 544 North Fairfax Ave., Mid-City COST: FREE, MORE INFO
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PLAY LA Festival
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Check out readings of five new plays — all for free! — at the Play L.A. New Works Festival, put on by Stage Raw and the Greenway Arts Alliance, along with a number of L.A. indie theater powerhouses. This year’s plays are Stonewall’s Bouncer by Louisa Hill, produced by The Victory Theatre; At Olduvai Gorge by India Kotis, produced by The Odyssey Theatre Company; Ghost Play by Mathew Scott Montgomery, produced by InHouse Theatre; The Incident by Rachel Borders, produced by The Road Theatre Ensemble; and Three Dates by Erica Wachs, produced by IAMA Theatre Company. Go see one, or go see them all!
SoCal Corgi Beach Day
Saturday, April 4, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. 21351 California 1, Huntington Beach COST: FREE; MORE INFO
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Vlad D
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Unsplash
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Head to Huntington Beach for the cutest event of the year, the annual SoCal Corgi Beach Day. This year’s theme is "Tiki Beach Pawty," because of course it is. Honor Queen Elizabeth II’s favorite pets and spend the day at the beach with these short, stout, snuggly friends while they frolic and compete in events like — I am not making this up – Corgi Limbo.
Plaza Mexico Celebrates Easter
Sunday, April 5, 12:00 p.m. to 4 p.m. 3100 E. Imperial Highway, Lynwood COST: FREE; MORE INFO
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Plaza México
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You have your pick of Easter Bunny photo ops and egg hunts around town, and Plaza Mexico would be a great one with the family. Meet and take a picture with the Easter bunny, enjoy kids' arts & crafts, family activities, vendors and sweet treats.
Writers Bloc: Cory Booker
Friday, April 3, 7:30 p.m. John Adams Middle School (JAMS) Performing Arts Center 2425 16th St., Santa Monica COST: $33; MORE INFO
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - FEBRUARY 05: Senator Cory Booker attends PBS' "Black & Jewish America: An Interwoven History" Screening With Henry Louis Gates, Jr. And Conversation With Sen. Cory Booker at 92NY on February 05, 2026 in New York City. (Photo by Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images)
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Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images
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Getty Images North America
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Spend Friday night with New Jersey Senator Cory Booker, whose new book, Stand, tells stories from his political life that aim to share "actionable insights" to help preserve democracy in these challenging times. The conversation with Writers Bloc will be hosted by Sean Bailey, the former head of Walt Disney Studios Motion Picture Production for 14 years and the current CEO of the new multi-platform production company B5 Studios. The event is sold out, but there is a waitlist available.
Behind the Canvas — An Exclusive Art Talk with the Jurors of A Woman's Place: Framing the Future
Saturday, April 4, 11 a.m. Ebell of Los Angeles 741 S. Lucerne Blvd., Mid-Wilshire COST: FREE; MORE INFO
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The Ebell
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Have coffee and doughnuts with the curators of the Ebell’s Women’s History Month exhibit, "A Woman’s Place: Framing the Future." You can catch the show before it closes and see work from women artists exploring new interpretations of womanhood, feminism and art.
Grunion Run
Saturday, April 4, starting at 10:30 p.m. Venice Breakwater Ocean Front Walk, Venice COST: FREE; MORE INFO
Thousands of grunions on the shore.
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Courtesy of the Cabrillo Marine Aquarium
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I have lived in Venice for more than 20 years and never actually seen a grunion, despite efforts, but that doesn’t mean it’s not fun to see all your neighbors scouring the beach by moonlight on a Saturday night. The Venice Oceanarium folks always organize an educational tent with lessons on how these unique fish show up on our shores to reproduce, and maybe you’ll luck out and time it right this year.
She’s Auspicious
Saturday, April 4, 7 p.m. Broad Stage 1310 11th St., Santa Monica COST: FROM $40; MORE INFO
L.A. native Mythili Prakash takes the Tamil dance form Bharatanatyam to new heights as a choreographer and performer. Her short dance film Mollika, commissioned by Sadler’s Wells Digital Stage in London, was nominated for a 2025 National Dance Award for Best Short Dance Film. She’s Auspicious, her latest production, "blurs the line between goddess and woman, exploring the dichotomy between celebration of the goddess versus the treatment of women in society." It was nominated for an Olivier Award in the category Best New Dance Performance in the U.K., and lucky for us, is on for one performance only at the Broad Stage in Santa Monica.
Julia Barajas
explores how college students achieve their goals, whether they’re fresh out of high school, pursuing graduate work or looking to join the labor force through alternative pathways.
Published April 2, 2026 5:00 AM
Cal State Long Beach is one of the 23 CSU campuses where Teamsters-represented workers held a strike last month.
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Brian Feinzimer
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LAist
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Topline:
The California Public Employment Relations Board (has issued a formal complaint against California State University trustees over the system’s alleged refusal to give raises to trades workers. The complaint follows a statewide strike earlier this year, in which workers at every campus walked off the job.
Why it matters: Teamsters Local 2010 represents 1,100 plumbers, electricians, HVAC techs, locksmiths and other building maintenance staff who work across the CSU system. A formal complaint from the Public Employment Relations Board means the two parties must resolve the dispute in a formal hearing process.
The backstory: According to Teamsters Local 2010, union members won wage increases in 2024 “after nearly three decades of stagnation.” That year, the union was on the verge of striking alongside the system's faculty, but it reached a last-minute deal with the CSU. The union has filed an unfair labor practice charge against the system, arguing that the CSU refused to honor contractually obligated raises and step increases for its members.
What the CSU says: The CSU maintains that conditions described in its collective bargaining agreement with the union — which “tied certain salary increases to the receipt of new, unallocated, ongoing state budget funding” — were not met.
What’s next: In an emailed statement, spokesperson Amy Bentley-Smith said the CSU welcomes “the opportunity to present the facts of this case before an administrative law judge.” After the formal hearing, the state board will propose a resolution to the dispute.
If you're enjoying this article, you'll love our daily newsletter, The LA Report. Each weekday, catch up on the 5 most pressing stories to start your morning in 3 minutes or less.
Wind moves palm trees on Monday, Dec. 29, 2025, in Stanton.
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Mel Melcon
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Los Angeles Times
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QUICK FACTS
Today’s weather: Mostly cloudy then sunny
Beaches: mid to upper 60s
Mountains: mid 60s to around 70 degrees
Inland: 64 to 71 degrees
Warnings and advisories: Wind advisory
What to expect: A mostly sunny afternoon with temperatures sticking to the low to mid 70s for most of Southern California. Breezy conditions will pick up in the afternoon for some valleys and mountain communities.
Read on ... for more details.
QUICK FACTS
Today’s weather: Mostly cloudy then sunny
Beaches: mid to upper 60s
Mountains: mid 60s to around 70 degrees
Inland: 64 to 71 degrees
Warnings and advisories: Wind advisory
The cool weather continues for one more day in Southern California. Later this evening, strong winds will kick in for some mountains and highway corridors ahead of a Santa Ana wind event slated for Friday.
Temperatures at the beaches are going to stick around the mid to upper 60s, and around 70 degrees more inland.
Coachella Valley, San Bernardino and Riverside County mountains will continue to see gusty winds until tonight.
At noon, the Antelope Valley will be under a wind advisory, with winds expected to reach 20 to 30 mph, and some gusts up to 50 mph. Wind advisories will also kick in for the 5 Freeway corridor, Ventura County mountains and the Santa Susana mountains, where gusts could reach 45 mph.
Libby Rainey
has been tracking how L.A. is prepping for the 2028 Olympic Games.
Published April 2, 2026 5:00 AM
The official Olympic flag returns to Los Angeles for the first time in 40 years.
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Dania Maxwell
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Getty Images
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Topline:
One or two line overview of the story, should be sharp and to the point. If it's the only thing they read it should still give them good info.
{ERASE ME — some possible lead ins, please change/add/delete what makes sense for story}
Why it matters:
Why now:
The backstory:
What's next:
Go deeper: {if you have stories you want to link add them here}
A key agreement outlining what city services Los Angeles will provide for the 2028 Olympic Games and how the cash-strapped city will be reimbursed for its extra work is now six months late.
High-stakes talks over that agreement between the city and the private Olympics organizing committee LA28 have dragged far past an Oct. 1 deadline, sparking concern from city officials and observers that taxpayer dollars could be on the line.
City Controller Kenneth Mejia, who audits and scrutinizes city finances, called the delay "deeply troubling."
"The City needs a guarantee from LA28 that they will not go over budget and will pay for all of the additional security, sanitation, transportation, administrative, and any other costs associated with the Games," Mejia said in a statement to LAist. "The preparation and execution of these events should not come at any cost to Los Angeles taxpayers."
The 2028 Olympics are intended to be privately financed, and an existing city agreement with LA28 states that the Olympics organizers, not L.A., will pay for extra costs for public services in support of the Games – like policing and traffic control.
But the nuts and bolts of that arrangement have not been finalized, and if the agreement leaves L.A. exposed to unexpected or additional expenses, taxpayers could end up paying many millions.
Hosting the Games is already an enormous financial risk for Los Angeles. The city is the financial backstop for the Olympic Games, meaning if the organizing committee runs into the red, L.A. will pick up the bill, along with the state of California.
The extra staff and resources the city will dedicate to the Games represents another area where L.A. may end up with surprise costs.
Why is the agreement delayed?
Neither the city nor LA28 have shared publicly what's holding up the deal.
Past public meetings and comments indicate that the two sides may disagree over the scope of LA28's obligation to cover city expenses.
At a December city council meeting, the city administrative officer and council members discussed the boundaries of where LA28's responsibility for a service like traffic control ends and the city's responsibility begins.
The city's Chief Legislative Analyst Sharon Tso, who is leading negotiations with LA28 along with the City Administrative Officer, told LAist in an email Wednesday that the city is still discussing the terms for things like cost estimates, service levels, and timelines for repayment.
"We continue to work diligently with LA28 to finalize the agreement," Tso wrote. "I do not have an anticipated completion date at this time."
Jacie Prieto Lopez, Vice President of Communications and Public Affairs for LA28, said in a statement provided to LAist that the organizing committee was working with city leadership to finalize the agreement.
"We remain engaged in good faith negotiations and look forward to our continued partnership with the City of Los Angeles," she said.
Once the agreement is completed, it will be submitted to the city council and mayor.
LA is counting on federal funding
LA28 isn't the only entity expected to pay L.A. for Olympics-related costs. The city also is banking on money from the federal government, which has allocated $1 billion for security costs.
The city administrative officer told the council last year that city spending on security at the Olympic venues, like for local police, should be covered by those funds.
