The Clog Free Rake - A Human-Powered Leaf Blower?
by Sami Grover, Carrboro, NC, USA 
on 12. 1.08
Raking Without the Cussing
Sometimes the greenest products are those not marketed as green at all – take the humble rake for instance. As a TreeHugger I already know that leaf blowers are the scourge of humanity (and don’t even get me started on leaf blower hockey!), so I guess I’m predisposed to like the rake. But I must admit to having been tempted, as I unclogged the tines of my rake for the umpteenth time on a cold November morning, to consider a mechanical alternative. Luckily there’s no need – just as with the human-powered mower - a little bit of thoughtful and effective design can go a long way.
I recently purchased an Ames True Temper clog-free rake, and I can honestly say it’s been a delight to use (and no, I’ve never got excited about a rake before!). The specially designed tines – arranged in a ridged triangular pattern, really do remain clog free – allowing much faster raking yet remaining free of the noise and fumes of a leaf blower. What more can I say? I love the thing, and I’m going to remain leaf blower free for the foreseeable future. Amazon is currently selling 8-inch clog-free rakes and 24-inch rakes (though the 24-inch one is inexplicably listed at $159!) – but I found my 30-inch model at the local hardware store for about 40 bucks.
More on Eco-Gardening
Leaf Blowers are the Scourge of Humanity
Testing a Human-Powered Mower
How to Go Green: Gardening
10 Commandments of Eco-gardening
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