Electrify Your Landscaping / Healthy Yard Care
It’s Clean, It’s Quiet, It’s Healthy
Overview
Gas-powered landscaping equipment causes significant air and noise pollution and negatively affects workers, neighborhoods, habitat and health of the soil.
LOSN has launched a campaign to support healthy yard care practices and the transition away from gas-powered landscaping equipment.
Mention “LOSN” when you book
with these landscapers
and get $25 off your first visit!
The Problem with Gas-Powered
Landscaping Equipment
- EXTREME NOISE
Low-frequency and high-decibel, the noise of a gas-powered blower is significantly louder than electric. It permeates walls and negatively impacts up to 90 surrounding homes. The noise contributes to hearing loss, high blood pressure and stress.
- HEALTH RISKS
Two-stroke engines burn a mixture of gasoline and oil. They produce exhaust fumes laden with high levels of benzene, butadiene, formaldehyde, and fine particulates which are known carcinogens that are associated with respiratory, cardiovascular and neurological harm. - ENVIRONMENTAL HAZARDS
Toxic waste and smog-forming emissions from these engines harm ecosystems and contribute to the climate crisis. Gas leaf blowers create up to 200-mph wind force which sends dust that can contain pollen, mold, animal feces, heavy metals and chemicals from herbicides and pesticides into the air.
Healthy Yard Care
- CARE FOR THE PLANTS AND THE SOIL
Avoid the use of all leaf blowers around plantings. They erode and compact the soil and damage habitat for beneficial insects and pollinators. - AVOID HERBICIDES AND PESTICIDES
Most yards do not need these dangerous chemicals, which are harmful to children, pets, wildlife, insects and waterways. - LEAVE THE LEAVES
Leaves and other plant matter under trees and shrubs help build mulch, healthy soil and habitat for pollinators and wildlife. LEARN MORE...
Click the image below to open a pdf copy of the mailer sent to 14,000 homes in Lake Oswego in August, 2024.
Lake Oswego Sustainability Network Newsletter
April 2024
Click the image below to read your copy in a new browser window.
What You Can Do
- Buy electric tools. They’re affordable, clean and effective.
- Share your electric tools with your landscaper. Offer to provide them with a fresh battery on your day of service.
- Ask them to use brooms and rakes and to practice healthy yard care.
- Hire a landscaper who offers alternatives to gas-powered maintenance. WE HAVE A LIST!
How You Can Help
Your participation is important to the success of our campaign. Here are ways you can help us expedite the transition away from gas-powered landscaping equipment and toward more healthy and sustainable practices:
- Join the Electrify Your Landscaping and Healthy Yard Care Committee.
- Write a letter to the Editor.
- Donate directly to our campaign by selecting Electrify Your Landscaping project.
Contact
Kathleen Wiens kwiens@losn.org
Resources
Video
- (Webinar) Electric Yard Care – Ditch the Gas
- May On-line Forum: Transitioning to Electric Landscaping Equipment
- Video: Did You Know Gas-Powered Leaf Blowers Are Bad for Our Kids’ Health?
Websites and Documents
- Leaf Blower Recycling in the Portland Area
- Yards on Fire – Gas-Powered Lawn Equipment and Health
– Blog
– Podcast - The Best Electric Lawnmowers in 2024 (CNN)
- Small Engine Fact Sheet from California Air Resources Board
- Electrify Your Landscaping and Healthy Yard Care Newsletter
- Electrification Resources from Electrify LO
- Quiet Clean Alliance
- QuietCleanPDX
- American Green Zone Alliance (AGZA)
- Quiet Communities Inc
- Options for Addressing Local Air and Noise Pollution from Gas-Powered Landscape Maintenance Equipment
- Las ventajas de las herramientas eléctricas de jardinería
- The advantages of all-electric yard tools
- Landscapers offering alternatives to gas-powered equipment
In the News …
-
- Readers respond: Expand ban on gas-powered leaf blowers (The Oregonian)
- Portland Bans Leaf Blowers (The Oregonian)
- Portland Bans Leaf Blowers (KGW)
- Portland Bans Leaf Blowers (KOIN)
- Movement to ‘Make America Rake Again’
- Video: Groups Pressure Legislators to Ban Gas-Powered Lawn and Garden Equipment
- Gas Powered Leaf Blowers Are Going Away Sooner or Later. Make it Sooner.
- Here’s Why Electric Lawn Mowers Are Cutting Down the Gas-Fueled Competition
- Lawn Care Goes Electric
- The Problem with Gas-Powered Leaf Blowers
- May 8, 2021 – Lake Oswego Review: Let’s talk about electric lawn equipment
- April 2021 LOSN newsletter: Making the Switch to Electric Landscaping Equipment
Success Stories
What the City of Lake Oswego Is Doing
Submitted by Jeff Munro, Deputy Director
The City of Lake Oswego has already taken important steps to eliminate gas-powered equipment from its contracted landscape services for 200 city-owned sites and has replaced much of the gas-powered equipment used by Parks and Public Works.
Transitioning to Electric Landscaping Equipment: A Case Study with Mountain Park HOA
Submitted by Tod Blankenship, Director of Landscape Stewardship at Mountain Park HOA
Mountain Park HOA (MPHOA) Landscape Stewardship Division has purchased nearly all of the Stihl commercial battery-powered tools available. When it comes to the replacement of any light equipment we will purchase a battery option if available.
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.
Works Great While Providing Surprising Resilience
Submitted by Michael Earp
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.