My neighbor asked why I rake my leaves into the street and now I'm doubting 12 years of habit

Aaron King · 2026-10-03T20:45:03.545352+00:00

I was out front last Saturday raking the last of the maple leaves when my neighbor Dale walked over. He asked why I always push them into the gutter instead of bagging them, and I said that's just what the city picks up. He said his brother works for the water department here in Lansing and that all those leaves get washed into the storm drains, then straight into the river. I looked it up after he left and he's not wrong. Every fall for 12 years I've been feeding the drain on my corner and never once thought about where it all goes. Now I don't know if I should bag them, mulch them, or just leave them on the lawn. What do you all do with your leaves, and does anyone actually know if the city vacuum truck still comes around in November?

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My neighbor asked why I rake my leaves into the street and now I'm doubting 12 years of habit | Ask a Neighbor - Chatter Central