If you've ever been woken up by the overly enthusiastic and loud lawn-mowing or leaf-blowing of a neighbor, here's some good news: Many states are now moving to ban gas-fueled lawn equipment in favor of electric.
Reasons to Be Cheerful shared the story, which is unfolding across several U.S. states, including Vermont, Colorado, Texas, and California.
The desire to move away from gas-powered equipment is multifold. Other than the noise and the fumes, these gas-guzzling machines have been found to pose a significant risk to both human health and the environment.
While all types of gas-burning machines, from airplanes to water heaters, emit pollutants and planet-warming gases, not all of them are equally polluting. As it turns out, gas-powered lawn mowers and leaf blowers have a disproportionate polluting impact for their size. This is because their engines work less efficiently than in other, more advanced machines.
In fact, a 2023 report from Environment America Research & Policy Center found that gas-powered lawn equipment "produced the same amount of fine particulate pollution in a year as 234 million cars and more carbon dioxide than the entire city of Los Angeles." This pollution impacts human health, of course; the particulate matter from burning diesel has been repeatedly linked to health issues ranging from cardiovascular disease to respiratory illness, reproductive issues, mental health problems, and cancers.
To protect the future of human health and the environment, many states have implemented a multipronged approach to incentivize the transition to electric equipment. These approaches vary, but many of them include either a ban on gas-powered equipment, financial subsidies, or discounts for electric ones.
For example, in California, it took only two years for 90% of the allotted subsidies for electric equipment to be claimed by residents eager to upgrade. In Austin, Texas, a publicly owned utility has provided rebates for over 3,500 new pieces of electric equipment. And in Colorado, programs at the state, county, and utility level are making it easier than ever to save.
"It's really exciting to see that so many cities and counties and states and utilities and communities across our country are taking action," said clean air advocate Kirsten Schatz of the Colorado Public Interest Research Group. "It just doesn't make sense to tolerate this much harmful pollution and noise from cutting grass and blowing leaves around when we have better ways."
Not only will these upgrades improve the outlook for long-term environmental and human health, but they'll be positive for wallets — though the upfront cost can be intimidating. This is why the incentives are critical.
"We know that certainly over several years, given that electricity is cheaper generally than gas, [switching] more than pays for itself," Luke Metzger, executive director of nonprofit Environment Texas, said. "But still there's that upfront cost … and so those incentives can make a big difference."
TCD Picks » Moms Clean Air Force
💡 Join a group of concerned mothers, fathers, and caregivers by signing petitions to fight for children's health
|
Do you think the government should ban gas-powered lawn tools? Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. |
No way 🙅 
Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
Cool Picks
