In the "City of Trees," we have a lot of leaves on the ground this time of year, but there is no reason to break out the rake. 

Here are seven reasons you should just let nature take its course. This is legit, it comes from the National Wildlife Federation.

  1. It's Unnatural: A leaf layer a few inches deep forms its own ecosystem.
  2. Protect Wildlife: A lot of wildlife rely on leaves for food and shelter. Think of our darling little squirrels!
  3. Leaves are FREE Fertilizer and Mulch: I hate weeds and fallen leaves decompress weeds naturally and add nutrients to the soil.
  4. You Could Be Killing Butterflies: You may not notice larvae attached to fallen leaves, but often they are there and you are killing them by raking up your leaves.
  5. Reduce Waste: All those plastic bags you are using to pack up the leaves contribute to 33 million tons of waste. I say you can only use the pumpkin ones because at least those can double as a Halloween decoration.
  6. Reduce Pollution: While we are on the environmental soapbox think about all the gas that is used in leaf blowers and leaf trucks. Yep, wasteful.
  7. Save Your Body and Your Time: I spent hours raking up leaves yesterday (before I discovered this beautiful little list of course) and my back and neck are killing me today. I should have just stayed inside and watch T.V.!

So let the kids play in them, take pictures of them, but don't waste your time raking up the leaves this year!

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