After a period of rain and wind in our area, I noticed that leaves are starting to fall from the trees. How will suburbanites respond to this threat or opportunity for their lawns this fall and in the years to come?

The general trend with American lawns is to leave them spotless, free of leaves, weeds, and other obstructions. Will this continue in the future? Some thoughts:

-There is more interest in battery-powered lawn equipment so clearing the lawn with a gas blower and gas mower may be on the wane. Using electric versions of these tools means clearing leaves will be quieter. This could also limit pollution.

-Or, if people do not want to use energy from gas or battery equipment, perhaps raking will be back in vogue.

-An alternative to both options above is that people could let the leaves stay on the lawn. This has benefits for the lawn as leaves break down. This goes against the spotless ideal of the American lawn but it requires no work and has benefits for the environment.

The well-tended lawn ideal with all or most leaves cleared will likely stick around for a while. Yet, there is a chance that shifts in practice and ideology about lawns changes how Americans treat leaves that come down each year.