Question

text 1
popular with both gardeners and landscapers, a leaf blower is one of the most effective and easy-to-use pieces of lawn equipment. leaf blowers use air pressure to remove leaves and other debris from lawns, sidewalks, and driveways. powered by either an electric or a gasoline motor, blowers can generate wind speeds of up to 180 miles per hour. such speeds make these tools a favorite because blowers require far less time and effort than sweeping or raking.

text 2
leaf blowers pose a threat to both the environment and human health. according to the california air resources board, one hour of gas-powered leaf blowing creates the same amount of air pollution as driving a car 1,100 miles. leaf blowers also produce more than one hundred decibels of sound, causing unhealthy noise pollution. these detrimental effects have prompted more than one hundred cities and towns across the country to ban the blowers.

which sentence best combines the main, or central, ideas of both texts?

commonly used by gardeners and landscapers, leaf blowers run on a powerful motor and use air pressure to blow away leaves and other debris from streets and yards.

while leaf blowers are popular for their effectiveness and ease of use, they have been banned in many places because of the pollution they produce.

Explanation:

Text 1 highlights leaf blowers' popularity due to effectiveness and ease. Text 2 focuses on their environmental and health threats leading to bans. The second option combines both: acknowledges popularity (effectiveness/ease) and the ban reason (pollution), while the first only covers Text 1 details.

Answer:

While leaf blowers are popular for their effectiveness and ease of use, they have been banned in many places because of the pollution they produce.