Switch to Electric Lawn Equipment

Category

Home Energy

Impact

?

Cost

Low

Tired of your noisy and smelly lawnmower or string trimmer? Try replacing your gas powered lawn equipment with electric powered, battery operated machinery. 

An estimated 121 million pieces of gas powered lawn equipment are used each year in the United States, representing a significant source of local pollution and greenhouse gas emissions. The small gas powered engines in lawn equipment are exceptionally dirty — they rely upon obsolete technology and are less regulated than cars. 

Many of the lighter products like push mowers, tillers, and leaf blowers use the two stroke engine which is especially harmful because they do not burn all the fuel within the engine itself — instead, they throw out a lot of the unburned lubricating oil which is very inefficient and polluting.

Do yourself and your neighborhood a favor and use electric equipment and hand tools rather than the loud gas guzzlers! 

Steps to Take

  1. When you replace your lawn equipment, purchase electric powered, battery operated equipment. It will reduce your greenhouse gas emissions as well as noise pollution.
  1. You might prioritize replacing the equipment you use the most and/or the ones with two stroke engines since they’re the worst polluters. 
  • Note: Does your equipment use the two stroke or the four stroke engine? If you mix the gas and oil before adding it to your machine, it’s a two stroke, and if you add the gas and oil separately to different tanks, it’s probably a four stroke engine, which is only somewhat less polluting. Two stroke engines, such as many leaf blowers, also tend to be louder and are major culprits of noise pollution.
  1. If you hire a lawn care company, find one that uses electric powered equipment. 
  1. Use hand powered tools when feasible — for example, rake your leaves rather than blowing them. (Or leave some of them in place to add nutrients back into your lawn.)

Deep Dive

Read an article in the Atlantic about how a writer and activist worked to get leaf blowers banned in Washington, DC.  

Check out a study from scientists in the Boston area estimating emissions from lawn and garden equipment. 

Testimonials

Switch to an electric lawnmower today! It helps you use less gasoline, which can save you money on fuel. Electric lawnmowers (brands like Ego and…
Efficient electric lawnmower
Submitted by: Mutch Jiang
I bought into the EGO system when I moved in in 2020.  I have the push mower, the chainsaw, and the multi-head thing which can…
Livin’ the EGO lifestyle
Submitted by: John Cushing
I've loved our electric lawnmower and weedwacker for several years and highly recommend. Last year I was gifted an electric pole saw to help manage our…
Mowers, weedwackers, and chainsaws
Submitted by: Adam Meier
When we purchase lawn care and gardening equipment, it's always electric! We recently switched from a gas-powered cultivator for the garden to an electric one. 
All Ryobi
Submitted by: Charlotte Vallaeys
Not driving a Tesla...but just trying to step-by-step make choices to address these issues. As stuff needs to be replaced, we are trying to switch…
Electric (Lawn) Slide
Submitted by: Andrea O'Rourke-Friel
While we work towards converting most of our property to a polinator meadow, much of it will need to be mowed for the forseeable future,…
Love our electric lawnmower!
Submitted by: Guy Hermann
We've made the switch to all electric out door tools, Lawn mower, blower, chainsaw, weed wacker.  They all work as good as or better than…
Electric Outdoor equip
Submitted by: Stuart Sklar
One of many rechargable battery operated tools we own. Small, lightweight and handy to use. 
Battery Operated Chainsaw
Submitted by: Connie Woolcock
I cannot emphasize enough my joy at not handling gasoline for outdoor power equipment. First, the bad news: We still have a gas-powered chain saw…
Fewer Gas Powered Garden Tools
Submitted by: Mario Cardenas
Switch to electric! It's so much quieter, and very efficient. The battery charges quickly, and the blade can stand up to thick, wet grass, as…
Electric Lawnmower!
Submitted by: Michele Buni
I switched to electric lawn trimmer, weed wacker and blower about a year ago, much quieter and easy to start.
Switch to Electric Lawn Equipment
Submitted by: Lee Major-Zupancic
Bought all Ego tools so batteries are interchangeable and use same charger. Best part is that they start with a button instead of a pull-cord,…
Electric mower, weed whacker, and pole saw
Submitted by: Eve Wittenberg
The weed whacker, hedge trimmer and blower run well enough and I get to take a break when the battery runs out of juice!
Ryobi Lawn Tools
Submitted by: Andrew Wilcox
Switched last year. Love the ease and low maintenance. Battery time is good and getting better but still need to swap batteries to complete yard.…
Powercut 21 mower
Submitted by: Don Ludwig

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