We applaud the Albert Lea City Council for upholding its ban on leaf burning.

The council made a prudent choice when it banned leaf burning several years ago. The process releases carcinogens in the air, which are bad for everyone. People with respiratory problems suffer even more.

And because people could only burn on certain days, if it rained, people would burn anyway, thinking they wouldn’t have another chance to do so. So those wet leaves burned with an extra-smokey vengeance.

If the city didn’t provide a free outlet for leaf disposal, through composting, we could understand people’s need to burn leaves. This is a case where we all have to look out for our environment and the health of others.

The city also deserves a huge pat on the back for setting up a hotline to gather residents’ opinions on the matter. The sheer number of people who used the hotline shows this is an issue that people care about. It behooves council members to know how constituents feel about things, and people are not always comfortable in calling them at home to let them know how they feel. Any way our elected officials can better gain a handle on how residents feel is important.

We thank the city for listening, and for making a wise &045; and healthy &045; choice.