the Scourge of the Earth?

http://www.re-nest.com/re-nest/at-on/at-on-leaf-blowers-the-scourge-of-the-earth--048270

AT on ... Leaf Blowers (the Scourge of the Earth?)

Please excuse me while I take this moment to rant (I've had a little too much coffee).
Is there anything worse than a leaf blower?
Well, yes, I suppose there are a few things. But not many. They're loud; they rather uselessly blow things (dirt, leaves, small defenseless animals) from one place to another; they do what a rake does, but not as well; and they can effortlessly ruin a lunchtime trip to a residential park (a lunchtime trip one person was very much looking forward to).

All sarcasm aside, leaf blowers ... er ... blow.
According to Grist, leaf blowers "emit more than 2.6 million tons of carbon-dioxide each year in the U.S. And each year they burn enough fuel to fill 6.4 million oil barrels." That's nothing compared to what we emit with our cars -- but it's still something.
A lot of cities have taken up bans against them because of noise pollution and pollution pollution -- according to this ancient post at EcoGeek, Palo Alto, Ca enacted such a ban in 2005, which is ironic considering the fact that Palo Alto is the exact location where I encountered said rogue lunchtime leaf blower.
Does anything bother you the way leaf blowers are bothering me today? What's your nomination for environmental scourge of the earth?
image via theworldscreams; sxc.hu