LOSN Sustainability Insider

April 2021

Making the Switch to Electric Landscaping Equipment

Benefits of Switching

Communities all over the United States are targeting gas powered landscaping equipment in response to the noise and the air pollution they produce. Gas powered landscape maintenance equipment can create significant localized air quality hazards beyond simply carbon emissions.

Carbon emissions using gas powered equipment

In addition, this equipment is responsible for significant noise pollution which can lead to hearing loss and high stress levels. Operators of this equipment can be particularly affected by the noise and air pollution.

Community members are taking their concerns to their cities and neighborhoods looking for solutions. In our tri-county area, a volunteer organization in Portland has formed quietcleanpdx.org to educate and offer solutions about phasing out gas powered leaf blowers. Thus, beyond the benefits of directly addressing climate change by reducing carbon emissions, switching out gas powered landscaping equipment has major benefits for the well-being of our community.

Register for our May Forum: Come hear from Dan Mabe, Founder and President of American Green Zone Alliance (AGZA), talk about how we can transition from gas powered landscaping equipment to electric powered equipment which helps to reduce air and noise pollution.

Scroll down to the event section for more info.

City Action: City Council Approves All-Electric Landscaping Contracts

On February 2nd the City Council approved two 100% electric landscaping contracts that covers over 200 public areas in the City. This is a great step towards reducing the hazardous air and noise pollution that is caused by gas powered landscaping equipment. The city has already started purchasing electric landscaping equipment. By actively transitioning away from gas powered equipment and using electric equipment this will help create a greener and healthier place for the landscaping workers, community and the environment.

Residential Action: Where Can You Find Electric Landscaping Equipment?

You can find displays and aisles of residential electric landscaping equipment at your local Ace Hardware, Home Depot, and Lowe’s. This equipment works great and is often less expensive to purchase and operate. The electric equipment is quieter and does not have the toxic emissions of the gas powered equipment.

American Green Zone Alliance has compiled a list of field tested and certified commercial electric equipment: agza.net/agza-approved-equipment. This includes manufacturers, types of equipment, specifications, photos, and videos. Many commercial landscapers and communities have moved to electric equipment and are happy with the performance while having a cleaner and greener way to operate and not being exposed to air and noise pollution.

Image: Lake Oswego Ace Hardware Display

Landscaping Services Action: Local Electric Landscaping Services

A number of landscaping services in our region already offer electric services. A story from Oswego Yard Care shows why businesses are moving towards this model:

Dan Fidler and Lonny Chavez started Oswego Yard Care in 2019 with the desire to create a landscaping business using quiet renewable energy. They use all-electric battery powered Ego brand tools that greatly reduce noise pollution and have no gas fumes. Every kwh of energy they use to recharge their equipment is offset with the purchase of clean renewable energy. They have enthusiasm for innovation and insistence on clean energy. Oswego Yard Care maintains and creates beautiful yards by combining seasonal color, native plants and perennials. Dan and Lonny encourage other landscapers to check out their equipment to experience for themselves how great this electric equipment works. Visit oswegoyard.com for more information.

Here is a list of some local landscapers that use electric landscaping equipment and hand tools (let them know you are looking for electric landscaping care):

• Blossom
• Clean Air Lawn Care
• Dennis’ 7 Dees
• Landscape East & West
• Northwest Native Landscapes
• Oswego Yard Care
• Pride and Joy Landscapes

Works Great While Providing Surprising Resilience: Testimonial by Michael Earp

We have a large lot in the First Addition of Lake Oswego and although we have reduced the lawn size it is still a lot to mow. Over the years I have routinely used electric lawn equipment. At first cords were standard, which increased the time it took and were a hassle with messing with the cord. I can remember cutting the cord with the mower, too.

I upgraded to a cordless mower when they became available. The first cordless mowers cut down on the time spent mowing but they used lead acid battery which made the lawn mower heavier and the battery had to to be recharged half way through mowing my big lawn.

Today’s electric mowers are very light and have a long runtime with a powerful Lithium battery. It is so quiet and easy to push and can do the entire lot with no problem. There are a number of new Lithium battery powered mowers available. We use a Ryobi 20 inch 40 Volt cordless mower which comes battery charger included ($299 at Home Depot).

Ryobi makes a number of attachments and that the same battery can be used on. I have a few of them including: edger, blower (quiet), portable drill, vacuum, radio and inverter.

During the last ice storm I used the 40 Volt Lithium battery from my mower with the inverter to power my house TV for three hours on a charge. And I could have powered the refrigerator.

Once you use one of these new Lithium powered mowers you will never want to deal with a gas mower again. Skip the hassle with gas tuneups along with the noise and pollution. Your neighbors will appreciate it, too!

Why We Made the Switch: Testimonial from Jeff & Kathleen Wiens

For years it was frustrating trying to start our gas lawnmower and edger. Having to mix oil and gasoline, trying to find a funnel to fill it was always a hassle. The cloud of smoke and fumes made the process even more unpleasant. It was frustrating having to wipe the spilled gasoline off of our hands and ground.

In 2015 we decided to go all electric/battery for our landscaping equipment. We purchased a Black and Decker hedge trimmer and a Kobalt lawn mower at Lowe’s for a reasonable price. This equipment performs great and after 6 years they have held up well. We also like to use a rake and broom.

A few months ago we purchased an Ego electric chainsaw and a more powerful hedge trimmer from Ace Hardware. The batteries are interchangeable and long lasting. We purchased an Ego inverter after our recent power outage to be able to use these Ego batteries to run our refrigerator, TV, power lights, and charge our cell phones. Since we have several batteries, this could help get us through a power outage without the need to run a noisy and polluting generator.

What we like about electric landscaping equipment is when the battery is connected, it starts every time without any nauseous fumes and it’s quieter than gas equipment. We have found that that the cost of residential electric landscaping equipment is comparable or less than the gas equipment. A trip down the aisles at Home Depot or Lowe’s will verify this.

The noise level of gas equipment and the toxicity of the fumes are enough to warrant a change to electric. If homeowners don’t want to do their own landscaping, how about purchasing electric equipment to give to their landscapers. Another idea is to ask your landscaper to look into having an electric option. This would make it healthier for the workers, residents, neighbors and the environment. The switch to electric equipment helps to lower the carbon footprint created from gasoline powered landscaping equipment.

May Online Forum: Transitioning to Electric Landscaping Equipment

Speaker:  Dan Mabe, CEO, Founder and CEO of American Green Zone Alliance
When: Thursday, May 13, 2021
Time:  6:30 pm – 8:00 pm
Where:  Webinar on Zoom

Learn about how communities are moving toward pollution free,  electric landscaping equipment and services.

Come hear from Dan Mabe, Founder and President of American Green Zone Alliance (AGZA), talk about how we can transition from gas powered landscaping equipment to electric powered equipment which helps to reduce air and noise pollution.

Dan grew up in a landscaping family and in 2006 he created an all electric landscaping business which grew to 70 customers in one year. He started AGZA in 2010 to help prudently transition the landscape maintenance industry to cleaner and quieter technologies and operation.

AGZA’s efforts have resulted in the creation of green collar jobs, improved health of workers and communities, and greatly reducing environmental impacts.

Dan will discuss the air and noise pollution issues with gas powered equipment, the electric equipment that is currently available, the cost comparison between gas and electric and the return on investment. He will discuss what other communities with similar seasons are doing in regard to transitioning to electric. He will also talk about what we can do to help business owners transition to electric equipment

To learn more about our speaker and American Green Zone Alliance please visit agza.net.

Candidate Forum: LOSD School Board, April 27, 2021

Topic: LOSD School Board Candidate Forum
When: Tuesday, April 27, 2021
Time: 6:30 pm – 8:00 pm
Where: Webinar on Zoom

The Lake Oswego Sustainability Network (LOSN) and Respond to Racism in Lake Oswego are holding a virtual (Zoom webinar) candidate forum on April 27th. We want to give our community an opportunity to meet the School Board candidates and to hear their thoughts on a variety of topics related to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), and sustainability in schools.

June Online Forum: Turning ocean waves into electricity

Speaker:  Burke Hales, Professor OSU, College of Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences
When: Thursday, June 10, 2021
Time:  6:30 pm – 8:00 pm
Where:  on Zoom

The PacWave project, to be built off the Oregon coast near Newport, will facilitate and speed up the development of new technology to harness the motion of ocean waves to generate electricity.  Our speaker, Dr. Hales, is Chief Scientist of the testing facility and will explain how this technology could someday provide a major source of clean energy for our region.