Image: Via Walter Martin (Unsplash)
Fall has always been my favorite season, but because of the heat this year, I couldn’t quite enjoy it, so the colorful array of leaves was my only solace. That’s why I was so dismayed to see them all gone every time I walked by Main Hall to go to English class. All the leaves that used to be scattered about were now put in a pile, ready to be swept up and taken away. And the grass that once existed beneath them is almost gone thanks to the constant mowing, leaving only dirt behind.
The first reference to a rake was in “Journey to the West,” a classic Chinese comic novel from the 16th century, but the first garden rake wasn’t patented until 1874, and raking leaves didn’t become widespread on U.S. lawns until after WWII, coinciding with the development and popularity of suburban neighborhoods. In many municipalities and gated communities, there are rules around leaf removal in order for everything to run smoothly. While raking leaves has long been the popular option, there has been a push in environmental movements and by environmental experts to leave the leaves alone for the world to enjoy.
Now, there are many benefits to raking leaves. If you love your beautiful emerald lawns, then raking the leaves may be the best option for you, as it can help your grass grow. If your grass is covered with leaves for too long, it can block out sunlight and keep it from getting the nutrients it needs to survive. There are many cool seasonal grasses, such as the Kentucky Bluegrass, that thrive under cool conditions, and it would be a shame not to give them the life they deserve. Raking leaves also gives your land an organized look; it keeps leaves from falling into lakes and polluting them. The act of raking leaves provides plenty of exercise (get those steps in!) and it reduces the amount of diseases that affect trees and plantings. So, we should rake, right?
Don’t take out your rake just yet. While on the surface it seems like a no-brainer, raking leaves can be pretty bad for the environment! Why rake them when they provide so much benefit to the organisms around us? For example, the Northwestern Salamander takes shelter in leaves. Since they need a moist environment, living in a pile of leaves is perfect because the leaves give the soil the moisture they need. Other animals that shelter in the leaves include the Eastern Box Turtle, the Eastern Red Bat, the Mourning Cloak butterfly and Ovenbirds, who build their nests right in the layers of leaves. This diverse array of creatures all call the autumn leaves their home, and to rake or mow them all up leaves them confused, with nowhere to go. Do you really want to imagine a bird, a chipmunk — they also build their nests in leaf layers — or a turtle wandering around all alone?
And these leaves don’t just provide shelter, but they also provide plenty of yummy food and nutrients for the organisms. “Every resident of the leaf litter — or visitor to it — is connected to the food web in some way,” says Elizabeth Johnson, a program manager with the American Museum of Natural History’s Center for Biodiversity and Conservation, according to the National Wildlife Foundation.
Leaves also reduce pollution, as they are great carbon sinks, giving carbon to your soil, reducing runoff and keeping everything rich and healthy so trees and other plants can grow. In fact, a recent study conducted by Maryland researcher, Max Ferlauto, showed that where people leave their leaves to decompose, soil holds 32% more carbon! Since the carbon footprints of trees are failing, raking up the leaves certainly isn’t helping our climate-change-ridden environment. Additionally, leaving the leaves on the ground can directly reduce both noise pollution and fossil fuels being released from the use of lawn mowers and leaf blowers. Gas-powered lawn mowers, specifically, emit as much pollution in an hour as a car can after being driven for one hundred miles! Exposure to these pollutants can cause respiratory problems, and as an asthmatic, I’d say you better keep it parked in the garage!
Lastly, seeing piles of leaves just makes people happy! I always smile seeing the leaves scattered across the ground, and it’s aesthetically pleasing to pair walking across an autumn landscape with listening to one of my favorite songs. I’ve heard instances of friends being stressed or having a bad day and then being comforted by jumping in a big, fat, leaf pile! It all reminds me of the carefree days of my childhood, and it’s nice to have those comforts around amidst all the stresses we face in a college setting.
I doubt you actually want to go out and rake leaves. I, personally, would rather be cozied up in my dorm, watching a movie or reading a book. But luckily, there are plenty of eco-friendly alternatives to raking leaves! You can mulch leaves by using what is hopefully an electric lawn mower to dig them into the ground and give nutrients to the soil, though that’s not the best option for our cute little critters. You could also burn leaves, though that method has sparked much debate over the years, so you must be careful when doing that. However, the best eco-friendly alternative is to just leave them. The environment will thank you!
So…. leave the leaves!
Emily Rutz is a first-year English major.