Electrify Your Landscaping / Healthy Yard Care

Status: In 2021, Lake Oswego City Council Approves All Electric Landscaping Contracts

On February 2, 2021, the City Council approved two 100% electric landscaping contracts that cover over 200 public areas in the City. This is a great first step towards reducing the hazardous air and noise pollution that is caused by gas-powered landscaping equipment. By actively transitioning away from gas-powered equipment and using electric equipment (and rakes) this will help create a greener and healthier place for the landscaping workers, community and the environment.

You can read more about this decision in the Lake Oswego Review: Lake Oswego City Council approves switch to electric landscape equipment.

The Sustainability Advisory Board (SAB) led the way to addressing the switch to electric landscaping equipment by submitting an options paper in August 2019 to Council for addressing local air and noise pollution from gas-powered landscape equipment. You can read the options paper by clicking here.

The city continued to make strides in moving to a electric landscaping use during 2021 with the following:

• Increased electric equipment inventory including: electric large area mower, blowers, weed eaters and chainsaws.
• Used electric vehicles for work inside the parks.
• Evaluated electric trucks for the city fleet.

One of the Sustainability Advisory Board goals for the city for 2022 is:

Accelerate the Transition Away from Gas-Powered Landscape Equipment

SAB will continue to encourage a transition away from gas-powered landscape equipment (GPLE) to improve air quality, reduce noise pollution, and minimize health impacts from use of gas-powered engines. The City has already taken the important step of eliminating gas- powered equipment from its contracted landscape services for 200 city-owned sites and has replaced some of the gas-powered equipment used by Parks and Recreation and Public Works. SAB would like to partner with the City and affected stakeholders to facilitate a similar, voluntary transition for community groups, landscapers, and residents throughout the City.
By taking action now to support a voluntary transition away from GPLE, the City can improve health impacts of affected stakeholders, while enabling these stakeholders to be well- positioned for compliance with future regional and/or State legislation that would eliminate GPLE equipment. SAB will review the actions neighboring cities are taking and will engage with residents and landscapers to inform our recommendations.
SAB will implement this goal by creating a 1-3 year plan for the City to support the Lake Oswego community in transitioning away from GPLE, built on voluntary measures and educational outreach, informed by a community survey and engagement efforts, including options such as equipment demonstrations, voluntary trade-ins, bulk purchase discounts, incentives or rebates.

We are partnering with QuietCleanPDX, American Green Zone Alliance, and Quiet Communities Inc to make it easy for residents and other organizations to switch to electric landscaping equipment and hand tools. 

May 8, 2021 – Lake Oswego Review: Let’s talk about electric lawn equipment

April LOSN newsletter: Making the Switch to Electric Landscaping Equipment

May On-line Forum: Transitioning to Electric Landscaping Equipment

Check our Electrify LO Resources page for detailed information.