Stop in for a cup of coffee

we used to be able to burn the leaves, but now it is banned...

We used to blow them into our flagstone lined creek, then light them and bur them...

It was much easier than picking them up....
Us too. We have a dandy yard waste facility across town. They grind it all up and turn it into compost. There's a huge pile to use for free and they sell semi loads commercially. With the Emerald Ash Borer problem, all the usable tree trunks are sold to sawmills and the smaller stuff is cut into fire wood. (free as well to the citizens) and the sticks are chipped or ground for mulch and compost.